For the past few days social networking giant Facebook has been embroiled in a controversy involving Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics and political consulting firm with ties to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
According to reports, the firm improperly obtained and exploited personal data from 50 million Facebook users for the 2016 US elections.
Reacting to this news, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the social media firm was committed to upholding the integrity of elections around the world.
“And we have a responsibility to do this, not only for the 2018 midterms in the U.S., which are going to be a huge deal this year and that’s just a huge focus for us but there’s a big election in India this year, there’s a big election in Brazil, there are big elections around the world, and you can bet that we are really committed to doing everything that we need to make sure that the integrity of those elections on Facebook is secured,” Zuckerberg told CNN in an interview.
Meanwhile, Ovleno Business Intelligence (OBI), the Indian arm of Cambridge Analytica, has named the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party as its clients. On Wednesday, both the parties accused each other of using the data firm to obtain unauthorised personal information.
Interestingly, OBI's website was suspended shortly after the fight between the two parties surfaced.
OBI is run by the Amrish Tyagi, son of Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi.
Amrish, in an interview to NDTV, said his firm had worked for the BJP in the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, and was hired by the Youth Congress in Jharkhand between 2010 and 2011.
The Indian government is reportedly set to launch and enquiry to find out if Facebook has had a role in unfairly influencing elections in the country.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)