Cambridge Analytica

[[File:Cambridge Analytica logo.png|thumb|right|165px|This is your [[brain]] on 
psychographics
 a ball-and-stick model]]
{{politics}}
{{cquote|This was a [[criminal]] enterprise which clearly wanted to subvert the will of the people — through manipulation, through [[propaganda]]. There must be criminal culpability.|||Norman Magaya, General Secretary of the Kenyan National Super Alliance<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43471707 Cambridge Analytica's Kenya election role 'must be investigated'] (20 March 2018) ''BBC''.</ref>}}
{{cquote|In ''Hacking The Electorate'',<ref>''Hacking the Electorate: How Campaigns Perceive Voters'' by Eitan Hersh (2015) Cambridge University Press. ISBN 1107501164.</ref> I laid out the rationale (with data) about the severe limits of microtargeting in campaigns. Post 2016/ Post Cambridge Analytica update: No update required. Every claim about psychographics etc made by or about the firm is [[BS]].|||Eitan Hersh, Tufts University political scientist<ref>[https://twitter.com/eitanhersh/status/975486387016339456 In Hacking The Electorate, I laid out the rationale (with data) about the severe limits of microtargeting in campaigns. Post 2016/ Post Cambridge Analytica update: No update required. Every claim about psychographics etc made by or about the firm is BS.] by Eitan Hersh (11:37 PM - 18 Mar 2018) ''Twitter''.</ref>}}
'''Cambridge Analytica''' (CA) was a [[united Kingdom|UK]] data-mining company that attempted to use "psychographics"{{efn|"a qualitative methodology used to describe consumers on psychological attributes"<ref>[https://www.jstor.org/stable/3150443?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents Psychographics: A Critical Review] by William D. Wells (1975) ''Journal of Marketing Research'' 12:196–213. doi:10.2307/3150443.</ref>}} to sway voters based on analysis of big data, social media, and pushing propaganda back at the potential voters via "microtargeting". Basically, CA evolved to convince people to vote against their own self-interest in support of ultra-[[conservative]] causes. It was founded by {{wpl|Robert Mercer (businessman)|Robert Mercer}} and [[Steve Bannon]] in 2013.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-cambridge-analytica-broke-into-the-us-political-market-through-mercer-allied-conservative-groups/2018/03/23/141adba8-2ead-11e8-b0b0-f706877db618_story.html How Cambridge Analytica broke into the U.S. political market through Mercer-allied conservative groups] by Michelle Ye Hee Lee & Craig Timberg (March 23, 2018 at 7:50 PM) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> Cambridge Analytica was influential both in the 2016 [[Brexit]] referendum and in supporting [[Donald Trump|Trump]] during the [[2016 U.S. presidential election]].<ref>Hannes Grassegger and Mikael Krogerus, [https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/how-our-likes-helped-trump-win "The Data That Turned the World Upside Down"], ''Motherboard'' via ''Vice'' (1/28/17 at 6:15am).</ref>

CA was also associated with Frontier Services Group (whose CEO is [[Erik Prince]]<ref>[http://www.fsgroup.com/en/team.html Our Team] Frontier Services Group</ref>), which provides security to [[Chinese]] businesses in [[Africa]].<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/the-latest-cambridge-analytica-links-to-blackwater-founder/2018/03/21/255bd508-2cf9-11e8-8dc9-3b51e028b845_story.html The Latest: Cambridge Analytica links to Blackwater founder] (March 21 at 7:15 AM) ''Associated Press'' via ''The Washington Post''.</ref> There were also some apparent links to [[Peter Thiel]] (then a [[Facebook]] board member and right-wing billionaire), including via his Palantir Technologies.<ref>Trudy Ring (March 28 2018). [https://www.advocate.com/politics/2018/3/28/heres-how-peter-thiel-connected-facebook-ploy-elect-trump "Here's How Peter Thiel Is Connected to the Facebook Ploy to Elect Trump"]. ''Advocate''.</ref><ref> Jim Edwards (March 28, 2018). [https://www.businessinsider.com/emails-peter-thiel-palantir-facebook-cambridge-analytica-2018-3 "Emails link Peter Thiel's Palantir and Eric Schmidt's daughter to Facebook's Cambridge Analytica fiasco"]. ''Business Insider''.</ref><ref>Natasha Lomas (March 28, 2018). [https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/28/palantir-confirms-a-staff-link-with-cambridge-analytica/ "Palantir confirms a staff link with Cambridge Analytica"]. ''TechCrunch''.</ref> Thiel also donated $1 million to a super [[PAC]] that in turn gave $231,352 to Cambridge Analytica.<ref>Jack Morse (March 22, 2018). [https://mashable.com/article/facebook-peter-thiel-cambridge-analytica "Facebook board member Peter Thiel helped fund Cambridge Analytica's work"]. ''Mashable''.</ref>

CA supported [[Ted Cruz]]'s and [[Ben Carson]]'s 2016 presidential campaigns simultaneously (a conflict of interest) and Thom Tillis' North Carolina Senate campaign.<ref name=capolitical>[https://ca-political.com/ CA Political] Cambridge Analytica</ref><ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/no-one-knows-what-the-powerful-mercers-really-want/514529/ What Does the Billionaire Family Backing Donald Trump Really Want? The Mercers are enjoying more influence than ever with their candidate in the White House—but no one seems to know how they intend to use it.] by Rosie Gray (Jan 27, 2017) ''The Atlantic''.</ref> It has also supported "Make America Number 1" PAC and the "[[John Bolton]] PAC".<ref name=capolitical/> CA also claimed involvement with over 200 elections in several countries, including [[Argentina]], [[Colombia]], [[Czechia]], [[India]], [[Indonesia]], [[Italy]], [[Kenya]], [[Malaysia]], [[Nigeria]], [[South Africa]], St. Kitts & Nevis, [[Thailand]], and Trinidad and Tobago.<ref>[https://ca-political.com/casestudies Case Studies] Cambridge Analytica</ref><ref>[https://www.nation.co.ke/news/politics/How-Cambridge-Analytica-influenced-Kenyan-poll/1064-4349034-le7xbuz/index.html Cambridge Analytica says it worked for Uhuru Kenyatta] (March 20 2018) ''Daily Nation'' (Kenya).
</ref>

==Efficacy==
{{cquote|Steve Bannon's psychological warfare mindfuck tool|||Christopher Wylie, CA whisteblower and mindfuck tool creator<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/data-war-whistleblower-christopher-wylie-faceook-nix-bannon-trump 'I made Steve Bannon’s psychological warfare tool': meet the data war whistleblower] by Carole Cadwalladr (18 Mar 2018 05.44 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref>}}
{{cquote|I think Cambridge Analytica is a better [[marketing]] company than a targeting company.|||Tom Dobber, a doctoral candidate studying political microtargeting at the University of Amsterdam<ref name=chen>[https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/20/17138854/cambridge-analytica-facebook-data-trump-campaign-psychographic-microtargeting Cambridge Analytica’s Facebook data abuse shouldn’t get credit for Trump] by Angela Chen & Alessandra Potenza (Mar 20, 2018, 8:00am EDT) ''The Verge''.</ref>}}
{{cquote|He’s an adman bigging up his data-science firm. There are lots of them.|||Robert Shrimsley on CA CEO Alexander Nix<ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/211b9f42-2dca-11e8-a34a-7e7563b0b0f4 Alexander Nix, a fake Bond villain obscuring the real mastermind: Cambridge Analytica's éminence grise is really just an adman bigging up his firm] by Robert Shrimsley (March 22, 2018) ''Financial Times''.</ref>}}
The actual efficacy of CA's product is somewhat unclear due to company secrecy, but the underlying method of psychographics to microtarget voters has been roundly criticized by political scientists as being ineffective. One potential and several former clients have criticized CA's product as being not worth the cost.

A [[meta-analysis]] of the effect of US political campaigns found that "the best estimate of the effects of campaign contact and advertising on Americans’ candidates choices in general elections is zero."<ref>[https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3042867 The Minimal Persuasive Effects of Campaign Contact in General Elections: Evidence from 49 Field Experiments] by Joshua Kalla & David E. Broockman (2018) ''American Political Science Review'' 112(1):148-166.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/upshot/fake-news-and-bots-may-be-worrisome-but-their-political-power-is-overblown.html Fake News and Bots May Be Worrisome, but Their Political Power Is Overblown: It's very hard to change people’s minds, especially when so many are already committed partisans.] by Brendan Nyhan (Feb. 13, 2018) ''The New York Times''.</ref> A study of the influence of [[Facebook]] on 2010 US Congressional elections, conducted in conjunction with Facebook, found that social messages significantly influenced voter turnout, and "the messages not only influenced the users who received them but also the users' friends, and friends of friends".<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3834737/ A 61-million-person experiment in social influence and political mobilization], Robert M Bond et al, Nature. 2012 Sep 13; 489(7415): 10.1038/nature11421.</ref> A similar study on the 2012 Presidential Election found less clear evidence of increased turnout, consistent with people having stronger preconceived opinions being less easily swayed.<ref>[http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0173851 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0173851], Jason J Jones et al, PLOS One, April 26, 2017https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173851</ref> Even though turnout certainly could affect the result in a close election, this research does not match the use of personalised, targeted messages by Cambridge Analytica.

Psychographics and microtargeting might be effective for marketing products, but are unlikely to be effective for swaying voters.<ref name=chen/> This is because of both the problems inherent in personality tests such as those used in psychographics, and the ineffectiveness of microtargeting for political purposes.<ref name=chen/>

Corey Lewandowski, one of Trump's 2016 campaign managers, rejected CA's proposals three times, and members of both the Cruz and Carson campaigns said that CA's work was not worth the cost.<ref name=wiegel>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/03/25/lewandowski-i-turned-down-cambridge-analytica-three-times-when-i-ran-trump-campaign/ Lewandowski: I turned down Cambridge Analytica three times when I ran Trump campaign] by David Weigel (March 25, 2018 at 12:02 PM) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> On the other hand, Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, bragged about the value of the $5.9 million that they paid to CA.<ref name=wiegel/>

==Crime==
In 2018, CA was alleged to have committed illegal acts before and during the [[2016 U.S. presidential election|2016 Presidential election campaign]], including with [[Facebook]] data.<ref name=channel4>[https://www.channel4.com/news/cambridge-analytica-revealed-trumps-election-consultants-filmed-saying-they-use-bribes-and-sex-workers-to-entrap-politicians-investigation Revealed: Trump’s election consultants filmed saying they use bribes and sex workers to entrap politicians] (19 Mar 2018) ''Channel 4''.</ref> The old-school allegations of illegal acts include bribes and use of [[prostitutes]] to entrap politicians.<ref name=channel4/> CA's CEO, Alexander Nix, was suspended shortly after the release of Channel 4's secret recording of his interviews during a sting operation.<ref name=lanxon>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-20/cambridge-analytica-used-disappearing-emails-in-campaign-report Cambridge Analytica Boasted of Disappearing Emails in Campaigns] by Nate Lanxon (March 20, 2018, 12:05 PM PDT; Corrected March 20, 2018, 1:39 PM PDT) ''Bloomberg''.</ref> [[Ironically]], Nix was secretly recorded by Channel 4 admitting that CA secretly recorded entrapping politicians committing illegal acts (bribery and [[prostitution]]).<ref name=channel4/><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/cambridge-analyticas-alexander-nix-bond-villain-tech-genius-or-hustler/2018/03/27/14c99112-2e34-11e8-8dc9-3b51e028b845_story.html Cambridge Analytica's Alexander Nix: Bond villain, tech genius or hustler?] by William Booth & Karla Adam (March 27 at 7:25 PM) ''The Washington Post''.</ref>

In 2014, CA was advised not to use employees who were neither US citizens nor permanent residents of the US on US election campaigns in any capacity because it would be a violation of several laws.<ref>[http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/TODAY/z_Creative/LEVY_MEMO_DM_4636592_v1_Memo_re__Participation_in_US_Elections.pdf Participation in US Elections] Confidential Memorandum to Rebekah Mercer, Steve Bannon, and Alexander Nix from Laurence Levy (July 22, 2014) ''Bracewell & Giuliani''.</ref> Despite this warning, at least three former CA staff members revealed that ''only'' foreign nationals were embedded into US election campaigns.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/wylie-foreigners-worked-cambridge-analytica-nc-senate-campaign-n859526 Wylie: Foreigners worked for Cambridge Analytica on NC Senate campaign: A former Cambridge Analytica staffer says foreigners were embedded in U.S. campaigns and making decisions, despite a legal memo that advised otherwise.] by Anna R. Schecter (Mar.23.2018 / 3:04 PM ET) ''MSNBC''.</ref><ref name=timberg>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/former-cambridge-analytica-workers-say-firm-sent-foreigners-to-advise-us-campaigns/2018/03/25/6a0d7d90-2fa2-11e8-911f-ca7f68bff0fc_story.html Politics: Former Cambridge Analytica workers say firm sent foreigners to advise U.S. campaigns] by Craig Timberg & Tom Hamburger (March 25, 2018 at 9:28 PM) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> If shown to be true, that would also mean that whoever supervised the embedded employees would have also committed crimes, regardless of the supervisors' nationalities<ref name=timberg/> (e.g., potentially Bannon and Nix). Special counsel Robert Mueller requested that CA turn over documents relating to its work with the Trump campaign in 2017,<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/mueller-sought-emails-of-trump-campaign-data-firm-1513296899 Mueller Sought Emails of Trump Campaign Data Firm: Special counsel asked Cambridge Analytica to hand over employees' emails, in sign of investigators’ interest in campaign data operation] by Rebecca Ballhaus (Updated Dec. 15, 2017 11:35 a.m. ET) ''The Wall Street Journal''.</ref> indicating that non-US CA employees might be under investigation for breaking election law.

==Goodbye, hello==
In May 2018, following news of the scandal and loss of revenue, CA declared bankruptcy and began employee layoffs.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/inside-final-days-cambridge-analytica-failed-rebrands-fleeing-clients-nerf-n875321 Inside the final days of Cambridge Analytica: Failed rebrands, fleeing clients and Nerf basketball: Cambridge Analytica declared bankruptcy on Thursday, but its downfall started months ago with fleeing clients and failed rebrands.] by Brandy Zadrozny and Ben Collins (May.18.2018 / 6:19 AM ET / Updated May.18.2018 / 6:44 AM ET) ''NBC News''.</ref> Following the shutdown of CA, many of the same principals (e.g., two of the Mercers) are running a company called Emerdata in the same building that housed CA.<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/what-emerdata-scl-group-executives-flee-new-firm-and-its-registered-office-909334 What Is Emerdata? As Cambridge Analytica Shuts, Directors Surface in New Firm] by Jason Murdock (5/3/18 at 11:37 AM) ''Newsweek''.</ref><ref>{{wpa|Emerdata}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Michael Flynn]] — had a brief advisory role at CA

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Crime]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Personality trait woo]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
[[Category:Thielsphere]]

Categories: Crime, Elections, Personality trait woo, Psychology, Thielsphere