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Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower Says Data From 87 Million Users Could Be Stored In Russia (cnn.com)

PolygamousRanchKid shares a report from CNN: Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie says the data the firm gathered from Facebook could have come from more than 87 million users and could be stored in Russia. Wylie added that his lawyer has been contacted by U.S. authorities, including congressional investigators and the Department of Justice, and says he plans to cooperate with them. Aleksander Kogan, a Russian data scientist who gave lectures at St. Petersburg State University, gathered Facebook data from millions of Americans. He then sold it to Cambridge Analytica, which worked with President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. "I know that Facebook is now starting to take steps to rectify that and start to find out who had access to it and where it could have gone, but ultimately it's not watertight to say that, you know, we can ensure that all the data is gone forever," he said.

10 of 178 comments (clear)

  1. Even worse... by king+neckbeard · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Even worse, it could be stored in America.

    --
    This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
    1. Re:Even worse... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Even worse, it could be stored in America.

      This is, in fact, the correct answer . . . and you win the Internet for a week.

      Your invitation to the Royal Wedding is in the mail.

      Does Facebook have any deals with the NSA that allows them to mine their user data . . . ?

      Without another Snowden . . . we will never know for sure . . .

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  2. Re:So Cambridge Analytica... by arbiter1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    They exploited the system that Hillary camp exploited as well during 2016 campaign, that was pioneered by the Obama camp and FB let them have the data (which could be seen as a campaign contribution in direct violation of campaign finance laws)

  3. And in other news... by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Analysis of a Recent Facebook company announcement:

    Buried in a company announcement was acknowledgement that nearly all of its users have been targeted to some degree.

    That makes about 2 billion users whose privacy was leaked.

    Also, Facebook was trying to collect patient data from hospitals:

    The idea was to build profiles of people that included their medical conditions, information that health systems have, as well as social and economic factors gleaned from Facebook.

    Also also, Diamond and Silk (two pro-Trump bloggers from the election cycle) were deemed unsafe for the community by facebook. Their followers no longer receive a notice when they make a new post.

    From Facebook:

    "This decision is final and it is not appeal-able in any way." (Note: This is the exact wording that FB emailed to [Diamond and Silk].)

  4. A lie repeated 1000 times becomes truth by mi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Although unproven — indeed, unprovable, because there is no such crime — the "collusion" allegations must be repeated on the daily basis until they become accepted by the mainstream. To the point, where the low information voter just says: "Well, everyone knows it — just google it or something".

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    In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
    1. Re:A lie repeated 1000 times becomes truth by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 5, Insightful

      you see people screaming "Treason! HANG THEM!" about basically anything the media tells them to.

      You're right - we've seen the President tweet out basically anything mentioned on Fox & Friends.

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      #DeleteChrome
  5. Re:Of course Russia by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Witch hunts always find someone in league with Russia these days.

    Indictments built upon solid evidence indicate it's not a witch hunt. Only those who delude themselves still think Russia didn't meddle with the election of our president.

    We need shadowy villains and conspiracy stories. Reality doesn't have the same appeal.

    Oh, so I guess the reality is that a former spy and his daughter just ate a bad pizza and not a poison that is exclusive to Russia?

    It sure seems like you think the ends justify the means by denying the means ever happened.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
  6. So FaceBook collaborated with Russia by drnb · · Score: 4, Interesting

    So FaceBook collaborated with the Russians. From the summary:
    "Aleksander Kogan, a Russian data scientist who gave lectures at St. Petersburg State University, gathered Facebook data from millions of Americans."
    ;-)

  7. Aleksander Kogan, a Russian data scientist who ... by qaz123 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Aleksander Kogan, a Russian data scientist who gave lectures at St. Petersburg State University

    They are making it sound like he is a Russian data scientist because he gave a few lectures at St. Petersburg State University.
    His parents moved to the United States when he was seven. He's obviously a citizen of the US and therefore an American data scientist.

  8. What makes this a witch hunt? by GrimSavant · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What's the evidence that this is a witch hunt? Is it just because Trump and his buds are calling it one? Because I've that's the standard I've got some bad news for you, Nixon thought it was a witch hunt against him, and no, that wasn't, and he had to quit before he got fired.

    The Red Scare with McCarthy had major congressional force backing it, and congress seems to be asleep at the switch this time around, and sometimes running interference for Trump particularly through the actions of Rep. Nunes, as opposed to focusing on measures to secure electoral and other infrastructure. If you are going to invoke McCarthyism, you are going to want to show how it is a relevant comparison deeper than the pure surface similarity of being freaked out by the Russians.

    You think Mueller's running a witch hunt? Because the work he's shown so far with the guilty pleas and indictments suggests otherwise. I know we've always been at war with Eastasia, but Mueller is a Republican, and was W Bush's pick to run the FBI, and was almost unanimously granted an extension to his 10 year term in Obama's first term. His background doesn't suggest him being any sort of political inquisitor.

    I'm sorry, but from the other side of the fence these accusations of "witch hunt" really sound like cries of deflection and denial, there's an obvious amount of dirt in public view and the usual suspects want nothing more than to sweep it under the rug. Personally, I think a lot of these guys are guilty as hell, but ultimately I want the truth to come out and let the chips fall where they may. When you got guys like Hannity running interference for obvious crooks like Paul Manafort, who would be a total crook due to his work in Ukraine and for other dictators even if he had never met Trump, that's pretty clear indication that the truth and honest enforcement of the law is not the desired end from that side.