theBreaker.news Podcast: AggregateIQ co-founder testifies to U.K. MPs on the Cambridge Analytica scandal

Jeff Silvester is the chief operating officer of the Victoria company involved in the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal. He appeared on his own May 16 at the United Kingdom Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing, to testify about AggregateIQ’s links to the sophisticated political data mining operation and AIQ’s work on the 2016 referendum to leave the European Union. The hearing in London was decidedly more subdued than one last month in Ottawa. Members of the Liberals, Conservatives and NDP gave Silvester and CEO Zack Massingham a rough ride. The Canadian MPs even suggested the duo had been dishonest. That hearing was the focus of edition 27 of theBreaker.news Podcast. Nonetheless, chair Damian Collins helped make the most of the three-hour hearing. He challenged Silvester to come clean on AIQ’s lack of cooperation with the Information Commissioner’s investigation. Silvester wouldn’t disclose any client names and kept information on his company’s revenue and structure close to his vest. He did say that there were two minority owners, but did not give any hint about their identities. Listen to highlights from the hearing on this edition of theBreaker.news Podcast. Plus host Bob Mackin’s commentaries and a scan of Pacific Rim and Pacific Northwest headlines. Click below or go to iTunes and subscribe. Have you missed an edition of theBreaker.news Podcast? Go to the archive.

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