NEW DELHI: UK-based Cambridge Analytica is learnt to have denied using data of Facebook users in India even as the social media giant has admitted that 5.62 lakh people in the country were potentially affected by the data breach, according to official sources.
After contradictory replies from the two companies on potential data breach of Indian users, the Government now plans to seek additional clarification from them, the sources said.
The Government had sought a reply from Cambridge Analytica (CA) over data breach charges by April 7. The UK-based firm had sought additional time and is believed to have submitted its reply recently.
“Cambridge Analytica has denied using any data of Indians from Facebook. There are discrepancies when replies of CA and Facebook were matched. Government will write to both the companies for further clarification,” an official source told PTI.
CA has been accused of mining personal information of millions of Facebook users illegitimately to help political campaigns and influence polls in several countries.
The Indian Government had sent notices to both the companies seeking detailed explanation on any possible misuse of profile data of Indians to influence their voting behaviour. (AGENCIES)