Cambridge Analytica Saga
Cambridge Analytica, together with Facebook have been at the center of a media storm regarding the use of users’ data. The scandal was brought to light after a sting investigation where the senior management of the company openly boasted about employing fake news, psychological manipulation, as well as entrapment styles to influence elections all over the world. At the heart of this issue is the unauthorized use of users’ personal data. The saga has become an ethical issue because the company allegedly did not disclose to Facebook the scope of its operations. There are numerous applications on Facebook and the broader ethical question is how these applications have been using the personal data of Facebook users. The information obtained by Cambridge Analytica was used to influence the outcomes of events like the United States’ and the Nigerian Presidential Election, and the Brexit vote. The impact of this manipulation may not be immediately assessed; however, the unsanctioned use of the personal data of Facebook users remains a contentious issue altogether.
It is unquestionable that Cambridge Analytica is a political and analytics consulting company, and they have the freedom to utilize the techniques and resources at their disposal to achieve their objectives. However, the techniques employed by the company, such as profiling users and fake news make it unethical. The data collected was used to target users depending on their online preferences, and even worse, their vulnerabilities. Additionally, the company enlisted the help of sex workers to secure contracts from executives, and this goes against business ethics. Politicians were offered unbelievable deals which were recorded using hidden cameras. The politicians were then blackmailed with the recordings, and some were even posted online to tarnish the names of the candidates in an election. Although politics is a dirty game, and the end justifies the means, the actions of Cambridge Analytica go against common logic. It is unethical to collect users’ data without their knowledge, moreover, it is improper to use blackmail to influence an election where voters are expected to exercise their free will.
It is imperative to investigate Facebook’s role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal. First, the social media giant offers developers a free pass to access the personal information of its users. Facebook has always allowed third party developers to build, test, and offer their applications within the website. Moreover, the company allows these developers to collect the personal information of the friends of those who use their apps as well. This is a blatant violation of their privacy, additionally, this second-hand intrusion of the privacy of these users can expose them to other applications as well. While users often allow the social media giant and its third-party developers to collect information including their profiles and friend lists, these applications rarely disclose what the information is to be used for. For instance, users may innocently click on applications that claim to show them the meanings of their names. The applications may then share the personal information with companies like Cambridge Analytica to be used for unethical practices such as manipulating elections. Facebook allowed Cambridge Analytica to gather data for “research” purposes without investigating what the alleged research was. Consequently, the social media company violated the trust that users had placed in it. The firm unethically commercialized the personal information and profiles of its users, and it should be held accountable for its role in the scandal.
The entire Cambridge Analytica company and its scope of operations was based on deceit. The lack of guidance in the company’s operations expose the moral decay that drives social influencers today. The points that need to be addressed include the practicality of relying on consent when harvesting data from millions of Facebook users. It is understandable that this data can be utilized to achieve any means, as long as the company’s profits and wellbeing is guaranteed. However, the ethical tenet of beneficence should be adhered to. Researchers, including online research companies like Cambridge Analytica should ensure the good of the participants in their studies. Also, Facebook was expected to prioritize the wellbeing of its users by incorporating a risk versus benefits assessment as it allows third-party developers like Cambridge Analytica to work on its platform and subsequently use the personal profiles of individuals on the social network. Where the sample size is large like in the case of Cambridge Analytica, the researchers should poll the views of selected representatives from the sample population.
The modus operandi of online influence companies like Cambridge Analytica more that often violate common ethical principles. The scope of the company’s operations raises a red flag on how it was able to get Facebook’s approval in the first place. The scandal is important because it raises weighty questions on how the data that was harvested from users was going to be used. Evidently, the data was used in smear campaigns and to generate fake news in important civic events like elections. The company violated several privacy rules and it remains to be seen whether there will be any retribution.