It was announced this morning that the Information Commissioner in the UK has applied for a Warrant to search the HQ of a data processing firm Cambridge Analytica – in search of evidence of wrong-doing concerning the personal data of several million people. Why would this request for a warrant be announced publicly like this? Surely an announcement like this can only forewarn the company and allow them time to ‘adjust’ the data and communications that they hold before the investigators seize it for evaluation… I wonder why the police do not publicly announce their intention to undertake dawn raids on violent criminals in the same way..?
Good point, the implications of the advance notice is strange.
Probably because “when the cops come” they won’t find anything, not because it wasn’t there but because it is already well disguised.
Just turning up and finding nothing would illustrate innocence, warning them and finding nothing illustrates deception…
Some say I am cynical, I don’t see it.
The information commissioner, who in this case is the arbiter for data and its use has applied for a warrant to search CA, I am surprised that has still not been processed. CA already had Facebook personnel at its HQ, assisting the company, Facebook were invited in apparently.
When the information commissioner was told of this development, live on air on C4 News, she applied for a warrant that evening, it is still not forthcoming. It has been reported that she requested Facebook personnel to immediately leave CA HQ, a request with which they complied.
It is really strange that the request for a warrant is still outstanding.
What the whole saga shows is that the IC has insufficient powers to act to carry out the duties of the office. Hopefully what will come out of this will be, that powers will be granted to search without notice and reference to the courts.
It makes you wonder what they do with all those surplus billions and what other names CA does now, and has traded under in the past…mmmm… maybe we will never know – except in our hearts.