Cambridge Analytica's chief executive officer Alexander Nix.
Afp Contributor / AFP / Getty Images
The attorneys general in New York and Massachusetts are demanding that Facebook hand over information regarding the alleged misuse of data culled from millions of users by a third party in an effort to influence the presidential election.
The demands come after recent reports surrounding Facebook's relationship to Cambridge Analytica, the controversial data firm that worked for President Trump's campaign, and which has come under fire for it's use of information allegedly gleaned from millions of Facebook users to influence voter opinions.
In a joint letter Tuesday afternoon, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Massachusetts AG Maura Healey issued a formal series of demands to Facebook.
"Consumers have a right to know how their information is used – and companies like Facebook have a fundamental responsibility to protect their users’ personal information," Schneiderman said in a statement. "Today’s demand letter is the first step in our joint investigation to get to the bottom of what happened. New Yorkers deserve answers, and if any company or individual violated the law, we will hold them accountable."
According to multiple reports Saturday, Cambridge Analytica gathered private information from 50 million Facebook profiles.
A source familiar with the investigation told BuzzFeed News that the letter explicitly asks Facebook for information "concerning Facebook’s policies and procedures as they relate to the reported misuse of data by people and/or entities connected to SCL and Cambridge Analytica."
Among the demands:
· All terms of use, privacy notices, privacy policies, and any other representations to Facebook users regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and deletion of their data in effect as of January 1, 2013 to the present, including without limitation any representations made in connection with the application, thisisyourdigitallife (the “App”).
· All terms, conditions, contracts, agreements, or other representations made to developers of apps regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and deletion of data obtained through Facebook from January 1, 2013 to the present, including without limitation those that applied to Aleksandr Kogan (a.k.a “Aleksandr Spectre”), Joseph Chancellor, Global Science Research (“GSR”) and anyone working on their behalf.
Healey added that as attorney general, "my job is to protect consumers in Massachusetts."
"Companies that control huge amounts of personal data have a legal obligation to guard against theft and misuse of that information," she said in a statement. "We are investigating to find out how and why this data was shared by Facebook and whether the appropriate steps were taken to protect it against misuse and manipulation."
The letter, according to a person familiar with the matter, is a preliminary step asking for cooperation before more formal action is taken in the form of subpoenas if the parties do not cooperate.
Cambridge Analytica, meanwhile, faces intensifying criticism and scrutiny on multiple fronts, including from Healey who also announced Monday that she was launching an investigation into the firm.
And on Friday, Facebook suspended Cambridge Analytica after receiving reports the firm didn't delete data from an app developer, despite saying it had done so, potentially giving it access to massive amounts of user information to allegedly tailor misinformation campaigns.
On Saturday, whistleblower Christopher Wylie said the firm had used that personal data without permission to profile US voters and influence their decisions.
And on Monday, an undercover news operation showed Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix bragging about how the company could entrap politicians with sex workers.
He was suspended Tuesday by the firm's board pending a full investigation.
"In the view of the board, Mr. Nix’s recent comments secretly recorded by Channel 4 and other allegations do not represent the values or operations of the firm and his suspension reflects the seriousness with which we view this violation," the company said in a statement.
The UK's information commissioner said she would seek a warrant to access Cambridge Analytica's servers, and Facebook hired an outside digital forensics agency to audit the firm.
Cambridge Analytica says it uses a method called "psychographic" profiling to understand behavior. In addition to working for the Trump campaign, it also assisted Sen. Ted Cruz and helped develop the messaging for a pro-Brexit group. Nix has boasted that it "profiled the personality of every adult in the United States of America — 220 million people."
The company also has deep ties to Trump-connected figures such as Steve Bannon, who once served on its board of directors, and the Mercer family, which largely owns the firm and who are also some of Trump's biggest donors.
Lawmakers have also been demanding more information. Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey said the use of Facebook data may have violated Federal Trade Commission rules, and called for both the social network and Cambridge Analytica to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee.
Here are the demands in full below, from a source familiar with the investigation:
All requests by Facebook to the following people or entities in which Facebook asked the recipients to delete Facebook user data:
o Aleksandr Kogan;
o Joseph Chancellor;
o GSR;
o Alexander Nix;
o Cambridge Analytica;
o SCL Group; and
o any contractor, agent, or consultant to any person or entity listed in (a) through (f) of this request (including but not limited to Eunoia Technologies and Christopher Wylie).
· All terms, conditions, contracts, agreements, or other representations regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and deletion of data obtained through Facebook from January 1, 2013 to the present, that were made to or that applied to:
a. Alexander Nix;
b. Cambridge Analytica;
c. SCL Group; and
d. any contractor, agent, or consultant to any person or entity listed in (a) through © of this request (including but not limited to Eunoia Technologies and Christopher Wylie).
· All communications between Facebook and the following people or entities:
a. Aleksandr Kogan;
b. Joseph Chancellor;
c. GSR;
d. Alexander Nix;
e. Cambridge Analytica;
f. SCL Group; and
g. any contractor, agent, or consultant to any person or entity listed in (a) through (f) of this request (including but not limited to Eunoia Technologies and Christopher Wylie).
· All documents concerning actual or suspected violations of Facebook’s terms, conditions, contracts, agreements, or other representations made to developers of apps regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and deletion of data obtained through Facebook from January 1, 2013 to the present, by any of the following people or entities:
a. Aleksandr Kogan;
b. Joseph Chancellor;
c. GSR;
d. Alexander Nix;
e. Cambridge Analytica;
f. SCL Group; and
g. any contractor, agent, or consultant to any person or entity listed in (a) through (g) of this request (including but not limited to Eunoia Technologies and Christopher Wylie).
· Number of Facebook users in New York State and Massachusetts, respectively, whose data was accessed by the App, broken out by city or town.
· All categories of information the App actually collected (e.g., home address, email address, current location, phone number, age, gender, schools attended, employers, language, income level, relationship status, political engagement, websites visited while logged-in/out, and "likes") from:
a. Facebook users who downloaded or used the App; and
b. the friends or other contacts of Facebook users who downloaded or used the App.
· Documents and information concerning the policies and practices of Facebook, during the relevant time, concerning its review of the collection, usage, disclosure, and deletion of Facebook user data, inducing without limitation any “app review” policies.
· Explain all the steps performed by Facebook to confirm whether Aleksandr Kogan, Joseph Chancellor, and/or GSR were complying with—or discover they were violating—all applicable Facebook policies and terms with regard to the data collected by the App
· Explain all the steps performed by Facebook to confirm that Aleksandr Kogan, Joseph Chancellor, and/or GSR deleted data collected by the App.
· Describe all persons or entities of which Facebook is aware who had access to the Facebook user information obtained by the App, how each such person or entity was able to obtain such access, and whether each such person or entity was authorized by Facebook’s policies When did Facebook learn that data accessed through the App was transferred to a third party? How did Facebook learn of this transfer? Explain in detail the steps Facebook took in response and the date of each step. When did Facebook remove the App from the Facebook platform?
· Explain why Facebook did not tell users or the public that the data was transferred to a third party when it learned this information. Identify all the people who were involved in the decision not to disclose this fact to the affected users or law enforcement and provide copies of all documents and email related to this decision.
· Explain how a user who downloaded the App consented to the collection of the data. Provide excepts from relevant terms of use or other documents.
· Explain how the Facebook “friends” of the users consented to the collection of the data by the App. Provide excepts from relevant terms of use, privacy policies, or other representations made to consumers in connection with the App.
· Prior to date of removal of App, did Facebook collect social security numbers, financial account numbers (such as credit/debit card numbers) or driver license numbers? If so, in what circumstances?
· Did Facebook review a copy of the data collected by the App? Explain.
· Describe all steps that Facebook has taken, or is intends to take, to determine what user data was exposed to third parties, whether that data was deleted and when, and to track or prevent further uses of that data on Facebook.
LINK: Facebook Is Suspending Cambridge Analytica, The Data Company That Worked For Trump's Campaign
from BuzzFeed - Tech https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/new-york-and-massachusetts-demand-facebook-hand-over?utm_term=4ldqpia
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