UK Investigation Confirms Cambridge Analytica’s Misuse of Facebook Data for Voter Targeting
A UK data watchdog investigation has confirmed that the now-defunct Cambridge Analytica sought to exploit Facebook user data to predict political partisanship and target voters with tailored ads. The findings were disclosed in a letter to Parliament, shedding light on one of the most notorious data privacy scandals in recent history.
Key Findings from the Investigation
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) reviewed a massive trove of evidence, including:
- 42 laptops and computers
- 700 TB of data
- 31 servers
- Over 300,000 documents
- Paper records and cloud storage data
The regulator described the process as sifting through a “digital haystack” to reconstruct Cambridge Analytica’s activities.
How Cambridge Analytica Operated
The ICO confirmed that Cambridge Analytica (CA) and its parent company SCL Elections:
- Aggregated commercial datasets from sources like voter files, consumer data, and social media.
- Enriched these datasets with improperly obtained Facebook data via Dr. Aleksandr Kogan’s app.
- Used machine learning to predict voter behavior and political leanings.
Data Sources Included:
- US voter files (electoral register equivalents)
- Consumer data from Acxiom, Experian, and InfoGroup
- Facebook data from Kogan’s “thisisyourdigitallife” app
Exaggerated Claims and Internal Skepticism
The investigation found that CA/SCL’s marketing claims of having “5,000+ data points per individual on 230 million adult Americans” were likely exaggerated. Internal communications revealed skepticism among staff about the accuracy of their predictive models.
Political Targeting Methods
The company used:
- Matching algorithms to combine Facebook data with existing voter files
- Machine learning libraries (like scikit-learn) for predictive modeling
- Personality trait analysis to cluster voters for targeted messaging
Example data points analyzed included:
- Support for gay rights
- Opinions on President Obama
- Affiliation with organizations like the NRA
Brexit and UK Implications
Notably, the ICO found:
- No evidence that the Facebook data was used in the Brexit referendum
- No proof that UK voter data was similarly exploited
- Close ties between CA/SCL and Canadian firm AIQ, which did work for Leave campaigns
Regulatory Actions and Ongoing Concerns
The ICO has:
- Audited 14 organizations including political parties and data brokers
- Issued significant compliance recommendations
- Expressed concerns about “systemic vulnerabilities in our democratic systems”
Attempts to Evade Scrutiny
As the scandal unfolded, CA/SCL reportedly planned to move data offshore to avoid regulatory oversight, though these plans were never implemented before the company’s collapse.
Uncooperative Witnesses
The letter reveals that several senior figures associated with the scandal have refused to cooperate with the investigation, maintaining their silence despite repeated requests for interviews.
The Bigger Picture
While this investigation provides closure on some aspects of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, it highlights ongoing concerns about:
- The ethics of microtargeting in political campaigns
- The vulnerability of personal data in the digital age
- The need for stronger safeguards in democratic processes
The ICO’s full audit reports on political parties and data brokers are expected to be published shortly, potentially revealing further insights into data misuse in political campaigning.
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