Cambridge Analytica files seized in Scotland
21 April 2018, 11:54
Cambridge Analytica (CA) material has been seized by the information watchdog in Scotland.
An Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) spokesman confirmed the raid had taken place, following a similar operation at the firm's premises in London last month.
The operation comes as part of an investigation by the ICO into the use of personal data by political campaigns and social media companies.
CA has come under fire over the use of Facebook users' personal data in Donald Trump's race for the US presidency.
Emails were released on Thursday by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee's inquiry into fake news.
The emails showed CA employees proposing to mix information from Ukip with "commercial data" to help the pro-Brexit Leave.Eu group
better target voters with online messages in the run up to the 2016 EU referendum.
This correspondence supports claims from former CA business development director Brittany Kaiser, who told MPs the misuse of data was
"rife" between the organisations owned by Arron Banks, an allegation which Mr Banks denies.
A Cambridge Analytica spokesman did not deny the proposals but told the Press Association "that work was not carried out".
Ukip's former head of communications Gawain Towler told the Press Association they did not pay CA for any services because it did not
receive any.
Ms Kaiser also previously said there had been "pitches and negotiations" at meetings with the SNP in London and Edinburgh, although no work was carried out.
The SNP denied the claim and said talks were held once through an external consultant who deemed the company to be a "bunch of cowboys".
