Prasad alleges Congress-Cambridge Analytica tieup, party denies it
March 21, 2018  15:07
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India today 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.
 
Amid probe by United States privacy watchdog over a potential breach of user confidentiality by Facebook, IT and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government fully supports freedom of press, speech and expression and is for exchange of ideas on social media.
 
But any attempt by social media sites, including Facebook, to influence India's electoral process through undesirable means will not be tolerated, he told reporters in Parliament House complex.
 
"If need be, strong action will be taken," he said.
 
The US Federal Trade Commission, an independent government body charged with insuring that companies abide by their own privacy policies, is looking at whether Facebook violated a 2011 consent decree after media reports alleged that it had handed the data of millions of users to a political consultancy.
 
Reports had alleged that Cambridge Analytica used data mined from Facebook in the voter research it conducted for President Donald Trump during the 2016 elections campaign.
 
Prasad alleged that Congress party had links with Cambridge Analytica.
 
"My question to the Congress party is whether to win elections, the Congress will depend on data manipulation and theft of data," he said. "What is the role of Cambridge Analytica in social media profile of Rahul Gandhi," he asked.
 
He alleged that Cambridge Analytica, the agency roped in by the Congress to run their 2019 campaign and termed as their 'Brahmastra' in certain section of media, is accused of using bribes, sex workers to entrap politicians and stealing data from Facebook.

However, the Congress has denied the charged, saying it is 'absolutely false'.

"News about Congress engaged/engaging with Cambridge Analytica is absolutely false.," Head of Congress's social media Divya Spandana tweeted.
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