Cambridge Analytica: Govt issues notice to Facebook, seeks reply by April 7

On March 21, I-T Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told Facebook if any firm was found trying to influence the election process, it would face penal action

The government has issued a notice on Facebook asking if personal data of Indian users was used to manipulate the election process in the country. The social networking giant will have to file a reply by April 7.

 

A similar notice was issued a few days back on British data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica (CA), accused of micro-targeting voters in the US and UK elections with data mined from Facebook. CA has also worked in India.

 

In the notice, the government has asked Facebook a number of questions. Was personal data of Indian voters compromised by CA or any other firm, and if yes, how? The government has also demanded to know if Facebook or any associated entities manipulated the Indian electoral process. The social networking giant has also been asked what steps it took to prevent compromise and misuse its data. The government said Facebook had the largest number of users in India, and so proactive measures were needed to ensure security of user data.

 

The revelation of CA’s involvement with Indian political parties has led to a slugfest between the Opposition Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

 

On March 21, Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had asked Facebook to protect the data of Indian users and said if any firm was found trying to influence the election process, it would face penal action.

 

“Any attempt, covert or overt, by social media, including Facebook, of trying to influence India’s electoral process through undesirable means will neither be appreciated nor be tolerated,” he had said.

 

On Tuesday, the BJP attacked the Congress over the CA whistleblower’s deposition before the UK House of Commons naming the Opposition party. The Congress has insisted it had never used the services of the firm.