Facebook charged with a 500,000 Pound fine by UK Information Commissioner regarding data leak

Four months after appalling revelation of massive data leak involving social media giant Facebook and British political firm Cambridge Analytica surfaced, California based company is still facing heat.

In most recent developments, world’s biggest social media company has been slapped with a fine of 500,000 Pounds by UK Information Commissioner after it found out that company h “contravened law” — specifically 1998 Data Protection Act — “by failing to safeguard people’s information.”

This news comes a few days after company h turned its words in second hearing with EU lawmakers on June 26 when it said that data leaked was mostly utilized for US Presidential elections and that European countries were t involved in leak. However, in initial sts of uncovering leak, company h stated that over 27 Million Europeans were affected due to leak.

However, Facebook could t substantiate its claims in front of EU watchdogs as y h t conducted an internal audit to prove claims.

Cambridge Analytica who bought harvested data from Dr Aleksandr Kogan shut down in early May after it reported bankruptcy due to loss of clients. ting that, Facebook was equally responsible for burying its he in sand and t implementing necessary actions against leak in its early sts.

Aleksandr Kogan’s quiz-app ‘This is your digital life’, which was epicentre of  breach, was created by him for research purposes in 2014. participants were paid a small amount of money, covered by Cambridge Analytica. Later this data was handed over to Cambridge Analytica, purpose for which was unkwn to Kogan.

app collected data from people who took part in quiz as well as ir friends. On discovering violation in 2015, Facebook asked Kogan to delete data he h obtained, and brought about crucial changes in platform’s privacy policies. However, follow up investigations were conducted to ensure it.

In vember 2015 Pro-Brexit campaign led by Nigel Far hired Cambridge Analytica. Following which in December of same year, Ted Cruz, a presidential minee from  United States hired m. But soon after Cruze’s campaign folded, Cambridge Analytica was hired by Donald Trump's presidential campaign.  psychographics obtained was used to create targeted political s for respective campaigns.