Facebook data breach hit over 5.62 lakh Indian users, admits government

New Delhi: The government has ordered a CBI investigation into alleged misuse of data by British political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica as personal data of about 5.62 lakh Indians was potentially breached, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Union Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said social media platforms should themselves appoint grievance officers and ensure that fake and abusive data is not circulated.

“Facebook informed that Cambridge Analytica had violated Facebook’s policy. Cambridge Analytica have not responded to the second notice. Since the reply given by Cambridge Analytica was not adequately convincing, and there was divergence in the replies given by Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, Central bureau of Investigation has been asked to investigate this matter with regard to possible misuse by Cambridge Analytica,” he said.

“Social media platforms should comply with the Indian law,” the minister said while responding to supplementary queries in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

The government will not tolerate abuse of data by companies for influencing elections in India, he said.

“We respect people’s privacy but it should not become shield for the corrupt,” he said.

Today, data has become a new enterprise. “The government supports freedom on social media but any abuse of it for promotion of terrorism will not be tolerated,” he said.

Both the Congress and the BJP have attacked each other for their alleged affiliation with data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica in the past. (UNI)