OBI looks to end ties with Cambridge Analytica after FB data theft charge

 

Ovleno Business Intelligence (OBI), the Indian affiliate of UK-based data analytics company Cambridge Analytica (CA), which is under fire over data breach, on Thursday stated it is looking to end its association with its parent company.

Cambridge Analytica is accused of harvesting personal data of Facebook users to influence elections in several countries including US presidential elections.

"We are equally shocked and surprised to see the data breach controversy and we are also looking to end our association with them," Himanshu Sharma, vice president of OBI said in a statement.

The statement also denied that the company worked with CA on any project related to social media.

"We at Ovleno Business Intelligence completely believe in ethics and legal system of India. We are not denying our association with Strategic Communication Laboratories (SCL)/Cambridge Analytica but we are a ground research company closely working with various media houses and not undertake any project with CA related to social media (especially Facebook)."

The accused firm, in its website, also claims to have helped its client in Bihar Assembly elections in 2010 when JD(U) and BJP alliance had won the polls.

JD(U) MP KC Tyagi's son, Amrish is the managing director of OBI, which lists the BJP, Congress and JD(U) as its clients.

Earlier on Wednesday, the website of the OBI was suspended soon after the BJP and Congress accused each other of availing of its services for electoral campaigns.