Ravi Shankar Prasad warns Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg of 'strict actions'
Amid the row of data theft by the UK based company, Cambridge Analytica in collusion with social media platform Facebook, Information and Technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad warned of strong actions against Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday.
Ravi Shankar Prasad said "Mr Mark Zuckerberg you better know the observation of IT Minister of India, if any data theft of Indians is done with the collusion of FB systems, it will not be tolerated", adding, "we have got stringent powers in the IT Act including summoning you in India".
Mr. Mark Zuckerberg you better know the observation of IT Minister of India, if any data theft of Indians is done with the collusion of FB systems, it will not be tolerated. We have got stringent powers in the IT Act including summoning you in India : Ravi Shankar Prasad pic.twitter.com/tACPLs755F
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2018
Ravi Shankar Prasad held a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday during which he also alleged that Congress has also hired Cambridge Analytica for 2019 elections and asked about the role of of the data analysis company's role in Rahul Gandhi's social media profile.
Will Congress Party depend on data theft and manipulation to win elections? What is the role of Cambridge Analytica in social media profile of Rahul Gandhi? : Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology pic.twitter.com/OgCfg7O91N
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2018
He also warned Mark Zuckerberg against trying to "influence India's electoral process through undesirable means."
We support free exchange of ideas on social media but any attempt by social media including FB of trying to influence India's electoral process through undesirable means will not be tolerated. Let Facebook note it very clearly: Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister pic.twitter.com/6ryszflHhR
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2018
He also asked Congress of "how much data of Indians was shared with Cambridge Analytica's CEO. As there are serious allegations of data theft against this company in USA, England. The company boasts of having influenced elections in Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, also in India".
We ask Congress that how much data of Indians was shared with Cambridge Analytica's CEO. As there are serious allegations of data theft against this company in USA, England. Company boasts of having influenced elections in Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, also in India:Union Min RS Prasad
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2018
Earlier in the day Ravi Shankar Prasad also made a series of tweets in which alleged citing media reports that Rahul Gandhi's social media profile popularity was increased by using bots.
There were news reports about use of bots to artificially increase the social media following of Rahul Gandhi in recent time: @rsprasad
— RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) March 21, 2018
Meanwhile, the Congress has denied all allegations regarding the issue.
Social media and digital communication head, Divya Spandana clarified on Twitter that "news about Congress engaged/engaging with Cambridge Analytica is absolutely false."
Cambridge Analytica has been accused of harvesting private information from more than 50 million Facebook users in developing techniques to support President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, the New York Times and London's Observer reported on Saturday (March 18).