It’s no secret that Facebook analyses personal information, likes and friend count to customise feeds to best suit users. Every time a sponsored ad appears, it’s because Facebook knows what content engages the user and therefore markets products and services to what fits their needs. When users agree to Facebook’s terms and conditions, they allow this data to be accessed.
However, Cambridge Analytica, a data firm based in London, is alleged to have breached the trust of 50 million Facebook users. It is accused of spending $800,000 to develop an app to access private information and to create fake news articles and propaganda that could have helped Donald Trump win the 2016 US election. It’s alleged the false information was created and shared about Hillary Clinton and her campaign and used the mined dat to target Facebook users who could be influenced by the stories.