Background on Cambridge Analytica and the scandal

Cambridge Analytica is one of the renowned political consulting firms that have been in the recent media firestorm regarding psychological manipulation as well as illegally obtaining information from media. Moreover, the firm has also been criticised for using entrapment techniques as well as fake campaigns in order to track users from the social media giant, Facebook. This consulting firm has become the centre point of attraction due to the dispute over harvesting information and data from various users of Facebook. The thesis statement of this current essay is to discuss the privacy scandal of Facebook regarding the consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica. The key issues that led to the onset of such scandal would also be detailed in this current essay. Furthermore, detailed information regarding this scandal would also be highlighted in this current essay. Finally, the steps taken by the Facebook regarding this scandal would also be detailed in this current essay.

Cambridge Analytica got involved in a scandal stating that the company has influenced voters in order to vote for the election that occurred in Britain. Furthermore, multiple information and data of the users have been taken illegally by the company that could be later used by the company. Wacks (2015) commented that many users have commented that the data has been used by the company that has been later used by the company. The company was criticized for taking data from the users of Facebook.   

Kogan along with his company Global Science has formulated software named as “thisisyourdigitalife” in the year 2014. Hale-Ross (2018) stated that the users of Facebook were asked to carry out a psychological test and the app would collect their personal data. Furthermore, it has also been observed that the application has collected information from the user’s friends. This information was later used by the consulting company. Donohue (2015) stated that about 50 million Facebook users’ information was used by the application and therefore, this affected their privacy. Fuchs and Trottier (2017) argued that companies do not have right to take information and data from the users illegally. Therefore, his would overall affect the integrity of the users. It has been observed that the collected information was later shared by the company, Cambridge Analytica. The company developed a software solution that would help during election in Britain. Based on the reports provided by whistleblower, Wylie, this privacy breach occurred in order to help during election.

The illegal data harvesting of Facebook user information

It is highly illegal to take information and data from any user. The companies need to take permission from the users before taking their data and information. In this case, the users of Facebook have no idea regarding the breach of their privacy. They paid to the application in order to conduct a psychological test. However, with the help of this test, their private information has been taken by Kogan who later provided this collected information to the company. Later on whistleblower, Wylie reported that the company developed psychographic profile of the users that could be later used by Cambridge Analytica in order to help during election. Furthermore, statistical data have revealed that the company has created these psychographic profiles in which person-centric information was present. Some of this information involves personality traits as well as political views. Later this information could be used by the concerned company in order to persuade public regarding the election. George (2017) commented that this scandal has occurred especially during the election of the Trump campaign.

The researcher has developed the application based on the dimensionality reduction as well as linear regression. Therefore, it was the normal people who got impacted. Meese and Wilken (2014) argued and commented that about 80 million users were impacted and their data has been breached by the company. This is highly illegal and is a punishable offense. However, the company has rejected such claims and objection regarding stealing personal information id the users. Based on the findings of the report, the company has rejected any such information regarding stealing information and personality traits of the users of Facebook (Manohka, 2018). As per the Privacy Act 1988, it is essential to protect information and data of the normal people under any circumstances. Tuttle (2018) stated that social media stores information and personal data of the users, therefore; it is their right to protect their data and information. Furthermore, Williams et al. (2016) argued and commented that it is the duty of the social media to encrypt their data and information. The users provide their personal information to social media and therefore, they are responsible for protecting their information and data.

It has been observed that in this case, the company has denied any such involvement and claimed that they have not taken any such information. The company has revealed that the information has not been taken for the purpose of the Trump campaign. Even Facebook has confirmed that the company, Cambridge Analytica has taken information from Facebook legitimately (Meredith, 2018). However, on understanding the claim of public regarding their privacy, the social media has taken effective decisions regarding Kogan, the developer of the application,

Developing psychographic profiles for voter influence

The social media giant has banned such application of Kogan in the year 2015 and has asked the company, Cambridge Analytica to destroy all the information regarding their users. However, reports have suggested that the information and data of the users have not been deleted. The company has been using their data for prolonged period of time despite Facebook urging the company to delete the information regarding their users. Wilson and Pender (2017) stated that it is the duty of the company to ensure that the personal; information of their users is secured. However, it has been observed that this information was not deleted by the company. However, the company claimed that they have deleted their data and information from their user.

It is the responsibility of the social media to ensure that their user’s data are secured. Brusoni and Vaccaro (2017) stated that data encryption is essential for the social media since it contains various information and data of their user. Reports claimed that the company, Cambridge Analytica have deleted all information and data regarding their user and have protected their information. Furthermore, Butterfield et al. (2000) opined that it is essential to protect the information and data of their users so that they do not get affected. Facebook has taken drastic steps regarding this issue and has claimed that they would look into the matter. The social media has assured that they would take effective steps in order to solve this issue and secure their user’s data. However, this scandal in social media has affected the company’s image. It has been noticed that Facebook has lost about 7% of their shares and about $40 billion of the value has been fallen down. This overall affected the social media and impacted their image. Majority of the user feared of providing their personal details in the social media. Downes (2017) stated that many of the users have even left Facebook due to this scandal and this has overall affected the social media.

It has been seen that Facebook has lost almost $60 billion in market capitalisation. Several class action lawsuits were filed against both Facebook as well as Cambridge Analytica in order to recoup the losses. Tuttle (2018) stated that this turmoil has violated the Data Privacy Act. Any company or social media have no legitimate reasons for using their users or any employee’s personal information. Williams et al. (2016) argued that these companies could use their user’s data under specific circumstances. Furthermore, this legislation also suggests that the users need to take care of the information used by the companies.

Facebook’s response to the controversy and steps taken

It is essential to take care of the information that is provided by the users. Therefore, it can be seen that it is the responsibility to take care of the user’s data and security. Mahmoodi et al. (2018) argued and commented that the social media should encrypt the data and information of their users to ensure their protection. The senators have urged Facebook in order to protect their user’s data by using specific technologies (Meredith, 2018). Cloud computing, as well as several other data encryption techniques, are available that would ensure protection of the data and private information. It is essential that Facebook needs to ensure that their user’s data are fully protected and no such scandal would arise. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that their data are fully secured from any third party user. The head of European parliament have carried out an investigation regarding this scandal and to obtain information whether the data has been misused by the company. Facebook has assured its users that their data would be protected under any circumstances and no other company could avail their information.  

Lack of moral awareness has been evident in this case and this is one of the major reasons behind such scandal. The companies need to ensure that the user’s data are safe and secured against any sort of fraudulent acts. Recently, Facebook has provided end-to-end encryption of the data that assures that every user’s data are highly protected (Manohka, 2018). Furthermore, it has also been observed that in this case, the company has taken several steps in order to gain back their capitalization. Most of the users have claimed that they fear using this social networking site due to the scandal of privacy breach. Therefore, the company has provided encryption of their data so that this information is secured. Moreover, it is essential to gain back the user’s confidence and thus, such end-to-end encryption is essential.

Conclusion

The current privacy scandal related to Facebook has affected the brand image of the social networking sites. Many users have complained that they fear using this social site due to the privacy issues. It has been observed that university researcher, Kogan have developed a software that obtains personal details of the users. Later Kogan provides the collected information to the consulting company, Cambridge Analytica. According to sources, this private information has been taken in order to vote for Trump campaign, however, the company has denied in any such data privacy breach and claimed that they have not taken any such information. This scandal has affected the market capitalization of Facebook and therefore, the company needs to take effective steps regarding this scandal. Facebook has assured its users that their personal information would not be hampered and breached under any circumstances.

Impact on Facebook and user confidence

The social networking site has encrypted the information and data of their users so that their information is not leaked under any circumstances. Furthermore, it has also been observed that Facebook has banned the software led by Kogan that affected caused such a privacy breach. This, these social sites are responsible for protecting information and data of their users so that the people do not get affected.

Reference List

Books

Hale-Ross, S. (2018) Digital Privacy, Terrorism and Law Enforcement: The UK’s Response to Terrorist Communication. Abingdon: Routledge.

Wacks, R. (2015) Privacy: a very short introduction. Oxford: OUP Oxford.

Journals

Donohue, L. K. (2015) High technology, consumer privacy, and US national security. Am. U. Bus. L. Rev., 4(1), pp.11-25.

Fuchs, C., and Trottier, D. (2017) Internet surveillance after Snowden: A critical empirical study of computer experts’ attitudes on commercial and state surveillance of the Internet and social media post-Edward Snowden. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 15(4), pp.412-444.

George, E. (2017) Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Media Corporations: Incorporating Human Rights Through Rankings, Self-Regulation and Shareholder Resolutions. Duke J. Comp. & Int’l L., 28(2), pp.521-603.

Meese, J., and Wilken, R. (2014). Google Street View in Australia: Privacy implications and regulatory solutions. Media and Arts Law Review, 19(4), pp.305-324.

Tuttle, H. (2018) Facebook Scandal Raises Data Privacy Concerns. Risk Management, 65(5), 6-9.

Williams, M., Nurse, J. R., and Creese, S. (2016) The perfect storm: The privacy paradox and the Internet-of-Things. In Availability, Reliability and Security (ARES), 2016 11th International Conference on. 2(1), pp.644-652.

Wilson, J., and Pender, K. (2017) Employment law: Risky business: The legal hazards of relationships in the workplace. Ethos: Official Publication of the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory, 3(245), pp.13-20.

Online Articles

Brusoni, S., and Vaccaro, A. (2017) Ethics, technology and organizational innovation. Journal of Business Ethics, 143(2), pp.223-226. [Online] Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-016-3061-6

Butterfield, K. D., Trevin, L. K., and Weaver, G. R. (2000) Moral awareness in business organizations: Influences of issue-related and social context factors. Human relations, 53(7), pp.981-1018. [Online] Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0018726700537004

Downes, M. (2017) University scandal, reputation and governance. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 13(1), pp.6-8. [Online] Available at: https://edintegrity.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s40979-017-0019-0

Mahmoodi, J., ?urdová, J., Henking, C., Kunz, M., Mati?, K., Mohr, P., and Vovko, M. (2018) Internet users’ valuation of enhanced data protection on social media: Which aspects of privacy are worth the most?. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(2), pp.1501-1516. [Online] Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01516/full

Newspaper

Manohka (2018). Cambridge Analytica’s closure is a pyrrhic victory for data privacy. Available at: https://theconversation.com/cambridge-analyticas-closure-is-a-pyrrhic-victory-for-data-privacy-96034

Meredith, S. (2018). Here’s everything you need to know about the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/facebook-cambridge-analytica-scandal-everything-you-need-to-know.html