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The Financial Express

India takes down local website of Cambridge Analytica on data controversy

| Updated: March 24, 2018 13:28:26


India suspends Cambridge Analytica website

India has taken down the local website of Cambridge Analytica following allegations the company used personal data of 50 million Facebook members to influence the US presidential election.

The account was suspended on Wednesday (Mar 21) night, Times of India reported.

SCL India, a venture between the SCL group in London and Ovleno Business Intelligence, says both India's major political parties are its clients.

The company, however, has no charges against it.

Facebook would also face "tough action" if it was found to have misused Indians' data, the IT minister warned, according to a BBC report.

Both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and main opposition Congress deny links with SCL India but have accused one another of utilising the services of the company.

Cambridge Analytica has also consistently denied any wrongdoing and most recently suspended its boss Alexander Nix, after footage by Britain's Channel 4 News showed him appearing to suggest tactics his company could use to discredit politicians online.

Amrish Tyagi, the head of SCL India, in a 2016 interview with a regional channel, spoke about his involvement with Mr Trump's presidential campaign. Mr Tyagi told the BBC that he could not comment on the controversy, but said the removal of Mr Nix would pave the way for a "fair investigation".

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