As part of continuing fallout around Facebook and the data consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, whistleblower Christopher Wylie told Congress this week that the firm sought to suppress Black voters and other liberal-associated demographic groups. During a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, Wylie, a former employee of Cambridge Analytica parent-company SCL, testified that the company had targeted Black Americans with "voter disengagement" methods. Wylie also suggested that former Cambridge Analytica vice president Steve Bannon, who stepped down in August 2016 to lead Donald Trump's presidential campaign, had deliberately sought to suppress certain voters. When asked by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) if one of the goals maintained by Steve Bannon, former vice-president of Cambridge Analytica, was "to suppress voting or discourage certain individuals in the U.S. from voting," Wylie responded, "That was my understanding, yes." Cambridge Analytica was reached out to for comment, and responded with a link to this report [PDF] on the company's practices.

Source: Forbes May 19, 2018 16:59 UTC