By CHRIS SOMMERFELD May 2 ,2018
Cambridge Analytica, the beleaguered Trump-connected consulting firm at the center of a Facebook data scandal, shut down all its operations Wednesday, according to company executives.
SCL Group, the British data firm's parent company, announced the news in a press release lamenting a barrage of damning media coverage that has "driven away virtually all of the Company's customers and suppliers."
"While this decision was extremely painful for Cambridge Analytica's leaders, they recognize that it is all the more difficult for the Company's dedicated employees who learned today that they likely would be losing their jobs," SCL Group said.
A New York-based staffer told the Daily News he and his colleagues were ordered to immediately return their keycards and other company belongings.
Cambridge Analytica brass said it arrived at the decision because efforts to overhaul the firm's image in light of the Facebook scandal proved ineffective.
The embattled consulting firm continues to face backlash over mining data on 87 million Facebook users that it used to sway American voters while working for President Trump's 2016 campaign.
Cambridge Analytica worked for President Trump's 2016 campaign.
Cambridge Analytica used the data to create complex algorithms meant to influence voters while doing analytics and other election-related outreach for the Trump campaign.
Ex-Cambridge Analytica employee Christopher Wylie told House Democrats last week that the firm was set up as a "full-service propaganda machine" for the Trump campaign, creating and promoting factually dubious information to spread discontent among American voters.
SCL Group maintained Wednesday that Cambridge Analytica employees acted "ethically and lawfully" while working for the Trump campaign.
Facebook has apologized in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, conceding it should have done more to prevent the data firm from obtaining and using personal data on millions of users.
Chris Wylie, the whistle blower, is a Canadian computer genius who should have known he was getting involved with something unethical. Maybe he did know but his conscience didn't kick in until much later. Techies don't like whistle blowers. Chris will have a hard time finding another high level job. He used to work for Justin Trudeau.
ReplyDeleteFacebook should have and could have protected their members data a lot better.
Love Shadow
For the most part they should be thankful to Chris Wylie , a lot more damage may have been done .
ReplyDeleteI hope Chris can find his way back , a couple of computer genius I talked to said most time it's not the money , it's the promises that's told to them ... CG always want to be the best in their field.
Love Witchy