Page 38 - English Tehelka Issue 7 - April 15, 2018

column technology

Face off with Facebook: • Privacy hit Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg
is likely to testify before the US Congress
about the company’s ongoing privacy scandal
Politics rife over data breach traps to discredit clients’ opponents.

The combination of using personal
data without consent and tailoring
slander campaigns, fake news and
News & The Cambridge Analytica issue is a wake-up call for India, as the propaganda to discover preferences
government is still dragging its feet on framing a comprehensive and
views robust data protection law of voters is a potent and corrosive
cocktail.
The shocking revelation has
Bharat hiteshi brought to light several issues that
fter turmoil over Aadhar number over 20 crore. In fact, India need to be addressed. The companies
Hiteshi is an data breach possibilities, comes at a second slot after USA to use have been collecting data and tailor-
independent journalist- Facebook is under attack Facebook. This is a scary case of pri- ing marketing campaigns using the
turned-author and a from the ruling NDA vacy violation. Electioneering targeting data during elections accordingly.
political commentator. government which has specific voter groups and even individu-
The views expressed A warned its CEO Mark als has existed for some time but it has
are his own Zuckerberg of “strong action” if it at- rarely assumed such underhand and
tempted to interfere with elections in insidious proportions. While Facebook Facebook cannot
India. On his part, Zuckerberg has now CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called it a play the victim card
apologised for the “mistake” and has said “breach of trust” given that mass data
that Facebook has a “responsibility” to collection was restricted to academic as it adopted a
protect its users’ data and if it fails, “we use, the company cannot attempt to play cavalier attitude. It
don’t deserve to serve you”. victim. Rather, going by revelations from
However, the controversy does not whistleblower Christopher Wylie, Face- did not immediately
end here because the BJP has accused book adopted a cavalier attitude.
the Opposition Congress of using the It did not immediately stop such stop such massive
services of Cambridge Analytica in massive data flows out of company data flows out of
elections. It is known that social media, servers. Though Facebook claims to have
particularly Facebook, has been used ex- done course correction, the damage has the company’s
tensively during polls. It is also a fact that already been done. A larger investiga- servers
social media platforms worked better for tion is needed and the global footprint of
the BJP before, during and after the 2014 such practices need to be identified. The
Parliamentary elections. Significantly, Union Information Technology minister
the balance is tilting now with Congress Ravi Shankar Prasad has warned Zuck- Personal data cannot be allowed
hitting back in the same coin. erberg about his powers to summon him to be violated in any way. The CA
Once stolen, electronic data is very to India. The controversy is a wake-up issue is a wake-up call for India; the
easy to transmit, manipulate, inter- call. government is still dragging its feet
polate, or interpret for various needs. The data of Facebook users can be on framing a comprehensive and
Did Facebook become an accessory for used to come out with strategies such robust data protection law. The IT and
Cambridge Analytica (CA) to game US as ‘behavioural micro-targeting’ and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
Presidential elections and the Brexit ‘psychographic messaging’. Christopher has made it clear that “we fully sup-
referendum? There are allegations that Wylie, a former CA employee-turned- port freedom of press, speech and
a Cambridge University researcher whistle-blower, set off a storm with expression; we fully support free
contracted by CA allegedly lured Face- revelations of how the company had de- exchange of ideas on social media.
book users to take a personality quiz ployed a ‘psychological warfare’ tool for But any attempt, covert or overt, by
app which worked in the background to alt-right media guru Steve Bannon to try social media, including Facebook, of
collect personal data of quiz takers and to sway the election in Trump’s favour in trying to influence India’s electoral
their friends, including status updates America. CA chief executive Alexander process through undesirable means
and Facebook ‘likes’. CA allegedly cre- Nix, who was suspended a few days ago will neither be appreciated nor be
ated a database of 50-60 million people following an undercover report by a tolerated. If need be, stringent action
including everything known about their British TV broadcaster, said the com- will be taken”.
personal traits and political persuasions. pany has used other dubious methods in
The Indians hooked to Facebook projects worldwide — including honey letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 15 april 2018 38 www.Tehelka.com Tehelka / 15 april 2018 39 www.Tehelka.com

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