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  Technology   In Other news  22 Jan 2021  CBI registers case against Cambridge Analytica, Global Science Research for illegal data harvesting

CBI registers case against Cambridge Analytica, Global Science Research for illegal data harvesting

PTI
Published : Jan 22, 2021, 12:48 pm IST
Updated : Jan 22, 2021, 12:48 pm IST

Preliminary enquiry showed that GSR had created an app, authorised by Facebook to collect specific user datasets for research in 2014

 Facebook had collected certificates from both the firms in 2016-17 that data collected by them using
  Facebook had collected certificates from both the firms in 2016-17 that data collected by them using "thisisyourdigitallife" was accounted for and destroyed. However, the CBI enquiry did not find any evidence of any such destruction, according to the officials. (AFP)

New Delhi: The CBI has booked UK-based Cambridge Analytica and Global Science Research Ltd for illegally harvesting data of Facebook users in India for commercial purposes, officials said on Friday.

The action came after a preliminary enquiry into the matter which showed that Global Science Research had created an app "thisisyourdigitallife" which was authorised by Facebook to collect specific datasets of its users for research and academic purposes in 2014, they said.

The company then entered into a criminal conspiracy with Cambridge Analytica, allowing it to use the data harvested by it for commercial purposes, the officials said.

Facebook had collected certificates from both the firms in 2016-17 that data collected by them using "thisisyourdigitallife" was accounted for and destroyed. However, the CBI enquiry did not find any evidence of any such destruction, according to the officials.

"The enquiry prima facie established that Global Science Research Ltd, UK dishonestly and fraudulently accessed data of app users of "thisisyourdigitallife" and their Facebook friends," an official said, citing the FIR.

Tags: cbi, cambridge analytica, global science research ltd, illegal harvest of facebook data, facebook users in india, thisisyourdigitallife app