Data, Democracy and Dirty Tricks

Part one: The whistleblower

The British data firm described as “pivotal” in Donald Trump’s presidential victory was behind a ‘data grab’ of more than 50 million Facebook profiles, a whistleblower has revealed to Channel 4 News. In partnerships with the Observer.

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Part two: The sales pitch

An undercover investigation by Channel 4 News reveals how Cambridge Analytica secretly campaigns in elections across the world. Bosses were filmed talking about using bribes, ex-spies, fake IDs and sex workers.

Part three: The Trump campaign

The undercover investigation reveals how Cambridge Analytica claims it ran ‘all’ of President Trump’s digital campaign – and may have broken election law. Executives were secretly filmed saying they leave ‘no paper trail’.

Part four: Nix suspended

Cambridge Analytica’s chief executive, Alexander Nix, is suspended by the company’s board, following Channel 4’s investigation.

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Part five: The Brexit whistleblower

A Brexit campaigner tells Channel 4 News that Vote Leave cheated in the 2016 referendum by over-spending. But the prime minister’s political secretary says the allegations are “factually incorrect and misleading” – and outs the accuser as gay.

Part six: The Mexico allegations

Channel 4 News reports on the demise of a deal to harvest data from a million citizens – which was cancelled following the start of our investigation.

Part seven: The Cambridge Analytica data still circulating

Despite assurances that it had been deleted, Channel 4 News has seen part of Cambridge Analytica’s US campaign data, which was harvested from 50 million people’s Facebook profiles.

The cache of information from a Cambridge Analytica source, details 136,000 individuals in the US state of Colorado, along with each person’s personality and psychological profile.

Cambridge Analytica: Just how important is it?

What has Cambridge Analytica actually been accused of? And why should you care? All those concerned deny any wrongdoing.

Explainer: The allegations so far

Investigations by Channel 4 News, the Guardian, the New York Times and others have led to allegations of wrongdoing against the Cambridge Analytica, as well as the social media giant Facebook.

What has Cambridge Analytica actually been accused of? And why should you care?

(Data, Democracy and Dirty Tricks is a series by the Channel 4 News Investigation team. You can contact them here.)