Cambridge Analytica Increased Rahul’s Popularity on Twitter: BJP

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Mar 21, 2018 : The row over data mining firm Cambridge Analytica’s alleged role in spreading fake news managed to find its space in the Indian political scene as well. On Wednesday, 21 March, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Congress of colluding with the data analysis firm to ‘win elections.’

The Union Law and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that Congress “now depends upon data manipulation and data theft to win elections.” He also alleged that the British firm played a role in boosting Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s popularity on Twitter.
"What link does Cambridge Analytica have with the social media management of Rahul Gandhi and Congress? How much data of Indians has the Congress Party shared with foreign firms?" - Ravi Shankar Prasad


Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala hit back at the accusations saying, “BJP’s factory of fake news has produced one more fake product today. It appears fake statements, fake press conferences & fake agendas have become everyday character of BJP and its lawless Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.”

The Congress’s social media and digital communications manager Divya Spandana also termed reports of the party engaging with Cambridge Analytica as "absolutely false.”

Prasad said that Congress’ alleged involvement raises questions on “free and fair elections in India and the democratic values of our country.”

The minister cited a report from October 2017 in Economic Times, which termed Cambridge Analytica as the ‘brahmastra’ that will help Congress to win the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. ET added Alexander Nix, that CEO of Cambridge Analytica, met several United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leaders to design the strategy.

Prasad also warned social media platforms like Facebook of ’strong action’ if any attempt was made by them to influence the country’s electoral process through undesirable means.

While both political parties deny their involvement with the British firm, senior journalist Sreenivasan Jain tweeted this out:

On Friday, 16 March, Facebook made an announcement that it was suspending Cambridge Analytica. The firm which was integral to US President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign is now under fire for misusing illicitly collected data from Facebook users.

Chris Wylie, the firm’s ex-research director turned whistleblower, claimed in an interview with NBC News that the firm used this data to create a psychological profile of users and to forward the propaganda of its clients.


courtesy:Yahoo