Cambridge analytica used by bjp in 'mission 272 plus', says cong; 10 points

Cambridge Analytica used by BJP in 'Mission 272 plus', says Cong; 10 points

Cambridge Analytica used by BJP in 'Mission 272 plus', says Cong; 10 points on Business Standard. Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress have blamed each other for using the services of Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics firm that has allegedly exploited Facebook users' data to influence elections

Latest News The BJP and the Congress on Wednesday accused each other of using the services of embattled data consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica (CA), which along with Facebook is at the centre of a global row over the alleged unauthorised use of personal data from the social media giant.

As the firestorm over the issue hit India, the government warned Facebook, which is being probed by US and British lawmakers over a potential breach of user confidentiality, of stringent action if any attempt was made to influence the country's electoral process through "undesirable means".

However, the company's India partner Oveleno Business Intelligence (OBI) lists the BJP, the Congress and the JD-U as its clients. The India partner is run by Amrish Tyagi, son of senior JD-U leader K C Tyagi. In media interviews, the junior Tyagi admitted that the Youth Congress in Jharkhand, the BJP and the JD-U had used its services to conduct research.

BJP leader and Union Law and IT and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad cited media reports to allege that the Congress was using the services of the London-based political data analytics firm for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and to boost its President Rahul Gandhi's social media profile and its outreach.

"The Congress must explain if it has engaged in data trade with Cambridge Analytica," the minister said.

He said the number of Gandhi's followers on Twitter had risen recently and wondered if the Congress had used the services of Cambridge Analytica for this "fake popularity".

"Will the Congress now depend on data manipulation and theft to woo voters," Prasad asked.

"These days, there is a lot of news about CA and how it has been involved in data theft, psychometric analysis, data manipulation and subversion of democratic processes. Can the Congress deny that?" he asked.

The Congress returned fire and accused the BJP of having availed of the firm's services in 2010.

"The Congress or its President have never used or hired the services of Cambridge Analytica," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

"This is fake agenda, a white lie being dished out on fake facts by the Law Minister. And this has become a daily order with Prasad," added Surjewala.

Surjewala alleged it was the BJP and its ally Janata Dal-United which used the services of Cambridge Analytica.

"I think the BJP and Ravi Shankar Prasadji have the maximum experience of Cambridge Analytica, the company they say has indulged in manipulation," added Surjewala.

Here are the top 10 developments in the Congress vs BJP row over the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal

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