The board of Cambridge Analytica has suspended CEO Alexander Nix with immediate effect, pending a full, independent investigation, the company said a statement. Dr. Alexander Tayler, chief data officer of the company, will take over as acting CEO, while an independent investigation is launched.
“Mr. Nix’s recent comments secretly recorded by Channel 4 and other allegations do not represent the values or operations of the firm,” says the statement.
Mr. Nix came under scrutiny along with Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, following allegations from whistleblower Christopher Wylie that the data of some 50 million Facebook users were harvested without their permission. The data was allegedly subsequently used for psychological profiling and delivering pro-Trump material during the 2016 elections.
Facebook responded by suspending Cambridge Analytica and the SCL Group from the social network. Facebook has also hired digital forensics firm, Stroz Friedberg, to conduct an audit of Cambridge Analytica.
[Image courtesy: Cambridge Analytica]