Cambridge Analytica probe still on, despite bankruptcy

Political research firm Cambridge Analytica did not deter a British investigation into its business practices by declaring bankruptcy Wednesday. The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office announced Thursday it would continue its probe into the firm at the center of the Facebook privacy scandal. The social media giant claims Cambridge Analytica improperly obtained users’ personal information without their permission, selling the data to high-profile clients that included Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Supporters of Britain’s referendum to leave the European Union, known as Brexit, also used the consulting firm’s services, raising questions about whether its data influenced that close vote. After Wednesday’s bankruptcy announcement, one British lawmaker warned executives not to use the company’s downfall as an excuse to delete information vital to the criminal investigation against them. In announcing its bankruptcy filings in both the United States and Britain, the London-based firm blamed “unfairly negative media coverage” for its downfall. Executives maintain the company’s practices are both legal and widely accepted in the online advertising world.