The state of fake news on Facebook is no better now than it was at the time of the EU referendum, a Cambridge Analytica whistle-blower has warned while accusing the social media giant of undermining people’s rights.
Brittany Kaiser served as business development director at the political consulting firm before it ceased operations after being accused of harvesting data from millions of Facebook profiles without permission from users.
The firm was deployed to provide services to the winning side in both the EU referendum of 2016 and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign the same year.
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Now Ms Kaiser has claimed Cambridge Analytica interfered in the elections of “at least” 68 countries – adding that the latest general election included many of the same disinformation tactics seen during the UK’s vote in 2016.
Her comments came after the whistle-blower met with MPs in Westminster to discuss how the online data of UK residents is exploited.
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A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar
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A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox
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People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall
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A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London
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Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London
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British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington
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Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital
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A woman wearing an “I’m In” t-shirt, promoting the official “Remain” campaign, leaves a polling station in London
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People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London
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Scotland’s First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow
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A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London
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Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent
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Justice Secretary and prominent ‘Vote Leave’ campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington
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Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London
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People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union
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A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar
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A sign on a gable wall in Belfast’s, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave
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A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar
Getty Images
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A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox
PA
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People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall
EPA
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A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London
REUTERS
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Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London
Getty Images
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British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington
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Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital
PA
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A woman wearing an “I’m In” t-shirt, promoting the official “Remain” campaign, leaves a polling station in London
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People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London
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Scotland’s First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow
AFP/Getty Images
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A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London
REUTERS
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Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent
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Justice Secretary and prominent ‘Vote Leave’ campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington
Getty
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Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London
EPA
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People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union
Getty Images
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A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar
Getty Images
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A sign on a gable wall in Belfast’s, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave
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She said: “I saw in the last British election so much widespread usage of fake news, disinformation and even suppression campaigns that look very similar, if not worse, than what we saw in 2016.
“Technology has advanced greatly in the past few years and there’s now not just one Cambridge Analytica, there are hundreds.
“They are companies that specialise in propaganda as a service, that use fake accounts and bots in order to spread disinformation and fuel hatred and violence.”
Writing for The Independent, Ms Kaiser added the world was facing a “democratic crisis” and that she believed “our rights are being undermined by the world’s largest communications platform – Facebook – and no one is being held accountable.”
“We must act now to protect ourselves as voters, or we will continue to see Facebook profit off the erosion of our freedoms,” she added. “We need action to protect our digital democracy.”
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On Friday, former deputy prime minister turned Facebook communications boss Sir Nick Clegg hit back at suggestions the company benefits from allowing controversial or extreme content to appear on its platforms.
“We take down material that is reported to us or we find through our automated systems which could lead to self-harm or, even worse, people taking their life,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.
“But, I’ll be very candid with you, why on earth would Facebook want to put (up) that kind of material? Advertisers, upon whom the business relies, don’t like it at all — of course, no sane human being wants to see young, particularly vulnerable or anguished individuals, exposed to such material.
However Ms Kaiser remained critical of the former Liberal Democrat leader’s claims
“I, unfortunately, haven’t seen Facebook take the serious steps that I hoped to see to protect people in election time,” she said.
The Independent has approached Facebook for comment.
