Cambridge Analytica, a British communications firm hired by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, said Monday that it “strongly denies” allegations it inappropriately harvested data on 50 million Facebook users as part of that work.
“This Facebook data was not used by Cambridge Analytica as part of the services it provided to the Donald Trump presidential campaign; personality targeted advertising was not carried out for this client either,” it said in a statement.
The accusations by several British and US media outlets prompted Facebook’s shares to plunge on Monday, after the company suspended the account of Cambridge Analytica and officials on both sides of the Atlantic called for investigations.
Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office, which regulates the sector, announced on Monday that it would be going to court on Tuesday to seek a warrant to search Cambridge Analytica’s computer servers after it had been uncooperative.
According to a joint probe by The New York Times and Britain’s Observer, Cambridge Analytica was able to create psychological profiles on 50 million Facebook users through the use of a personality prediction app that was downloaded by 270,000 people, but also scooped up data from friends.
Facebook has pushed back against the claim of a major breach, suggesting misused data was limited to a far smaller group of users.
Meanwhile, fresh allegations against senior executives at Cambridge Analytica emerged on Monday.
The company’s chief executive Alexander Nix was secretly filmed by Britain’s Channel 4 News saying it could entrap politicians in compromising situations with bribes and sex workers, using ex-spies to dig up dirt on opponents.
He also said the firm secretly campaigns in elections around the world, including by operating through a web of shadowy front companies, or by using sub-contractors.
A Cambridge Analytica spokesman told the news programme it does not use “untrue material for any purpose”.
“We entirely refute any allegation that Cambridge Analytica or any of its affiliates use entrapment, bribes, or so-called ‘honey-traps’ for any purpose whatsoever,” the spokesman added.
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