THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary - March 23, 2018 - Topic 1

CA, Facebook & you

The world has just learned how a data analytics firm, Cambridge Analytica, harvested the data of 50 million Facebook users and used that information to feed strategies such as ‘behavioural microtargeting’ and ‘psychographic messaging’ for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in the U.S. Chris Wylie, a former CA employee-turned-whistle-blower, set off a storm with revelations of how the company had deployed a ‘psychological warfare’ tool for alt-right media guru Steve Bannon to try to sway the election in Mr. Trump’s favour. 

CA chief executive Alexander Nix, who was suspended a few days ago following an undercover report by a British TV broadcaster, said the company has used other dubious methods in projects worldwide — including honeytraps to discredit clients’ opponents. The combination of using personal data without consent and tailoring slander campaigns, fake news and propaganda to discovered preferences of voters is a potent and corrosive cocktail. Facebook has said its policies in 2014, when a personality profiling app was run on its platform, permitted the developer to scrape data not only from those who downloaded the app but also from the profiles of their Facebook ‘friends’. Yet it did not make sure the data were destroyed by the app’s developer Aleksandr Kogan, a Cambridge University academic, nor by CA itself when it came to light that Mr. Kogan had sold the data to CA, a third party. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has offered an apology and expressed willingness to cooperate with inquiries and potentially open up Facebook to regulation.

This episode has brought to light several issues that need to be addressed. First, companies have been collecting data and tailoring marketing campaigns accordingly. The issue here is particularly prickly because politics and elections are involved. Second, regardless of whether what Facebook and CA did was legal or not, something is broken in a policy environment in which the data of millions are taken and used when only 270,000 people knowingly or unknowingly gave consent. Third, technology is evolving at a rapid pace, raising the question whether laws need to be reframed mandating an opt-out approach universally rather than an opt-in approach. Individuals often share their data without being aware of it or understanding the implications of privacy terms and conditions. Fourth, there must be clear laws on the ownership of data and what data need to be protected. Personal data cannot be the new oil. Individuals must own it, have a right to know what companies and governments know about them and, in most cases, that is, when there are no legitimate security or public interest reasons, have the right to have their data destroyed. The CA issue is a wake-up call for India; the government is still dragging its feet on framing a comprehensive and robust data protection law.

Vocabulary

Campaign:  work in an organized and active way toward a particular goal, typically a political or social one.

Example: People who campaigned against child labor

Synonyms: crusade, fight, battle, push, press, strive, struggle, lobby

Sway: a rhythmical movement from side to side.

Example: The easy sway of her hips

Synonyms: swing, roll, shake, oscillation, undulation

Deploy:  move troops into position for military action.

Example: Forces were deployed at strategic locations

Synonyms: position, station, post, place, install, locate, situate

Dubious: not to be relied upon; suspect.

Example: Extremely dubious assumptions

Synonyms: suspicious, suspect, untrustworthy, unreliable, questionable

Consent: permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.

Example: No change may be made without the consent of all the partners

Synonyms: agreement, assent, acceptance, approval, approbation

Slander: make false and damaging statements about (someone).

Example: They were accused of slandering the head of state

Synonyms: defame (someone's character), blacken someone's name

Cooperate: act jointly; work toward the same end.

Example: The leaders promised to cooperate in ending the civil war

Prickly: covered in prickles.

Example: Masses of prickly brambles

Synonyms: spiky, spiked, thorny, barbed, spiny, briery, brambly, rough

Approach: a way of dealing with something.

Example: We need a whole new approach to the job

Synonyms: method, procedure, technique, modus operandi

Implication: the action or state of being involved in something.

Example: Our implication in the problems

Synonyms: incrimination, involvement, connection, entanglement

Privacy: the state or condition of being free from being observed or disturbed by other people.

Example: She returned to the privacy of her own home

Synonyms: seclusion, solitude, isolation, freedom from disturbance

Legitimate: conforming to the law or to rules.

Example: His claims to legitimate authority

Synonyms: legal, lawful, licit, legalized, authorized, permitted

Comprehensive: complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something.

Example: A comprehensive list of sources

Robust: strong and healthy; vigorous.

Example: The Caplans are a robust, healthy lot

Synonyms: strong, vigorous, sturdy, tough, powerful, solid, muscular