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  India   All India  11 Apr 2018  After Zuckerberg's apology, Ravi Shankar Prasad wants promise from Rahul Gandhi

After Zuckerberg's apology, Ravi Shankar Prasad wants promise from Rahul Gandhi

THE ASIAN AGE.
Published : Apr 11, 2018, 9:41 pm IST
Updated : Apr 11, 2018, 9:41 pm IST

Ravi Shankar Prasad said Cong President Rahul Gandhi should also apologise for allegedly using leaked data to swing poll results in India.

Union MInister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Congress President Rahul Gandhi should apologise and promise not to manipulate voters and divide the society in future. (Photo: PTI | File)
 Union MInister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Congress President Rahul Gandhi should apologise and promise not to manipulate voters and divide the society in future. (Photo: PTI | File)

Mumbai: Hours after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologised over the hijacking of its user data by Cambridge Analytica, Union Information and Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Congress President Rahul Gandhi should also apologise for allegedly using the leaked data to swing poll results in India.

Taking to Twitter, the Union minister said that Cambridge Analytica's role in manipulating elections is clear and Facebook has given an assurance "to stop it and maintain integrity of India's elections".

On Tuesday, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg told the US Congress that he took personal responsibility for the leak of data on tens of millions of its users, and assured the senate that his company will do "everything" to ensure the upcoming elections in India and other countries are safe.

"2018 is an incredibly important year for elections. Not just in the US mid-terms, but, around the world, there are important elections -- in India, Brazil, Mexico, Pakistan and Hungary -- and we want to make sure we do everything we can to protect the integrity of these elections," the Facebook founder and CEO said.

Also Read: Will ensure fair elections in India, says Zuckerberg at senate hearing

The Facebook chief has been under mounting pressure over the hijacking of its user data by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultant firm.

Cambridge Analytica is reported to have been involved in "all kind of projects" in India and had major political parties like Congress as it clients. Christopher Wylie, a former Cambridge Analytica employee, had told a British parliamentary committee that the British firm even has an office in India.

"I believe their client was Congress. But I know that they have done all kind of projects. I don't remember any national project, but regionally... India is so big that one state can be the size of Britain. They do have offices there, staff there. I believe I have some documentation on India which I can provide if you're interested," 28-year-old Mark Zuckerberg said.

There have been allegations that Cambridge Analytica data has been used by other parties in India too.

(With inputs from PTI)

Tags: rahul gandhi, ravi shankar prasad, mark zuckerberg, cambridge analytica
Location: India, Maharashtra, Mumbai (Bombay)