In the midst of the alleged data breach linked to social media platform Facebook, India's Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has alleged that the Congress had liaised with data analytics company Cambridge Analytica, which is in the news for illegally getting access to private information of more than 50 million Facebook users.
As per reports, Prasad has warned Mark Zuckerberg that his company won’t be spared if theft of any data of Indians is discovered. At a conference which took place today, Prasad reportedly, posed questions to the Congress. Will the Congress party depend on data manipulation and theft to woo voters? Does the Congress endorse the methods used by Cambridge Analytica, namely sex, sleaze and fake news? What is Cambridge Analytica’s role in Rahul Gandhi’s social media profile?”
We uphold the use of social media and it has empowered every citizen who can ask us questions directly now. But abuse of social media that too by using foreign firms will not be acceptable: @rsprasad
— RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) March 21, 2018
This is not just a question of Congress Party’s association with a rogue data analysis firm but it is a question of free and fair elections in India and democratic values of our country: @rsprasad
— RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) March 21, 2018
How much data of Indians have the Congress Party shared with foreign firms like Cambridge Analytica? Asks @rsprasad
— RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) March 21, 2018
There were news reports about use of bots to artificially increase the social media following of Rahul Gandhi in recent time: @rsprasad
— RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) March 21, 2018
What link does Cambridge Analytica have with social media management of Rahul Gandhi and Congress Party? Asks @rsprasad
— RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) March 21, 2018
Will the Congress Party now depend upon data manipulation and data theft to win elections? Asks @rsprasad
— RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) March 21, 2018
Prasad also threatened that any attempt by Facebook to influence India's electoral process through undesirable means will not be tolerated. He also mentioned about news reports which spoke about using bots to artificially increase the social media following of Rahul Gandhi in recent times.
Today, amid all the furor surrounding the data breach, Cambridge Analytica has suspended their CEO, Alexander Nix.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 21, 2018 03:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).