The Cambridge Analytica saga: a call for greater accountability and transparency

The Cambridge Analytica breach involving 87 million users data has prompted a visceral public reaction.

Whilst Zuckerberg faces further questions over how Facebook protects users’ data; individuals are starting to consider whether the monumental data breach presents a potential infringement on one’s rights.

Legitimate questions are being asked around whether we as individuals are happy with Facebook deciding who has access to our data; and whether we trust Facebook with the task of checking whether third parties actually use our data for the purpose they say they will.

In the wake of the scandal, we can expect to see a demand for:

• greater accountability from companies using data
• increased governance over the way in which data is gathered
• a call for more transparency from data holders

These principles are paramount in light of the upcoming GDPR; where the emphasis lies not so much on the breach itself, but instead on ensuring organisations have adequate measures in place in the event of a breach.

With the clock ticking towards the May 25th deadline, there is no time like the present to close any data security loopholes in order to prevent any professional embarrassment, or worse still, irreparable harm to an organisation’s reputation.

Blog by Millie Jackson and Will Richmond-Coggan