Cambridge Analytica was a British political consulting firm, founded in 2013 as a subsidiary of SCL Group, a private intelligence and "global election management agency." The company became widely known after the 📝Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal, in which it was revealed to have acquired and used personal data from millions of Facebook users without their explicit consent. Cambridge Analytica specialized in data mining, data brokerage, and strategic communication for electoral processes, claiming to provide psychographic analysis and behavioral microtargeting services, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. It worked on high-profile campaigns, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit referendum. Controversies surrounding its practices, ethics, and effectiveness led to global investigations and its closure in 2018, although companies related to its founders and methods have since continued to operate.
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