CBI registers case against Cambridge Analytica & Global Science Research for data mining

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday booked a UK-based Cambridge Analytica and Global Science Research Ltd company for illegally harvesting data of Facebook users in India for commercial purposes, said officials. This action by CBI came after a preliminary enquiry into the matter which showed that Global Science Research had created an application "thisisyourdigitallife" which was authorized by Facebook to collect specific datasets of its users for research and academic purpose in 2014, officials added. 

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CBI registers case for data mining

Outlining further details of the matter, the officials informed that the company entered into a criminal conspiracy with Cambridge Analytica, allowing it to use the data harvested by it for commercial purposes. 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 did not find any evidence of any such destruction. 

An official citing the FIR said, "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."

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