Facebook & Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower | Brittany Kaiser

1h 28m · Defiance · 24 Oct 15:57

“There's nothing better for self-reflection than just brutal honesty, right? I call it radical transparency. Just being totally honest about exactly what happened and making yourself live through that. Every time you have to say it, you re-punish yourself for the decisions you didn't make back then.”
— Brittany Kaiser

- - - - -

In March 2018, The Guardian broke the news of one of the most massive data breaches of all time. Cambridge Analytica was harvesting the data from as many as 87 million Facebook profiles.

This data was used to profile audiences and then to target individuals who were deemed possible to influence. Cambridge Analytics unleashed an unprecedented campaign of information warfare during such political campaigns as Brexit and the US 2016 elections, which were considered by many to be surprising results.

Once the news broke of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Brittany Kaiser, the former director of business development, turned whistleblower handing over her hard drive and over 100,000 documents as evidence.

In this interview, we discuss how she came to work at Cambridge Analytica, the Brexit and Trump campaigns and whether she is a whistleblower.

- - - - -

Show notes and transcription:
https://www.defiance.news/podcast/facebook-cambridge-analytica-whistleblower-brittany-kaiser

- - - - -

Timestamps:
- 00:01:42 - Intro
- 00:02:03 - Brittany’s Background
- 00:07:47 - The Barack Obama campaign
- 00:10:40 - Voter suppression in Trinidad
- 00:14:49 - Brittany’s work in human rights
- 00:18:09 - Brittany introduced to Cambridge Analytica
- 00:24:24 - Brexit
- 00:31:15 - Trump campaign
- 00:35:16 - Fallout from the Trump campaign
- 00:41:05 - Deciding to blow the whistle on Cambridge Analytica
- 00:53:51 - Changing the course of history
- 00:59:05 - Trump impeachment case
- 01:02:16 - Hiding out in Thailand
- 01:07:16 - The Great Hack
- 01:10:12 - Brittany’s book Targeted
- 01:11:10 - Self-reflection
- 01:13:48 - What needs to change?
- 01:22:20 - Brittany’s sister Natalie

- - - - -

The success of Defiance will be largely down to the support of you, the listener. Below are a number of ways you can help:
- Subscribe to the show on your favourite app so you never miss an episode:
iTunes
Spotify
Deezer
Stitcher
SoundCloud
YouTube
TuneIn
- Leave a review of the show on iTunes (5* really helps, if you think the show deserves it).
- Share the show and episodes out with your friends and family on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
- Follow Defiance on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
- Subscribe to the Defiance mailing list.
- Donate Bitcoin here: bc1qd3anlc8lh0cl9ulqah03dmg3r2uxm5r657zr5p

If you have any questions then please email Defiance.

- - - - -

The episode Facebook & Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower | Brittany Kaiser from the podcast Defiance has a duration of 1:28:22. It was first published 24 Oct 15:57. The cover art and the content belong to their respective owners.

Permalink

More episodes from Defiance

The Killing of Marie Colvin

In February 2012 - a year after the war in Syria had started - photographer Paul Conroy and Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin smuggled themselves into the war-ravaged Syrian city of Homs. As the first journalists on the scene, they witnessed the targeted attacks perpetrated by the Syrian government on women, children and civilian hospitals.

As they were broadcasting the siege of Homs live to the world, the Syrian regime was using their satellites to locate and target them. The missile attack that followed killed both Marie and French photojournalist Rémi Ochlik and severely injured Paul.

Ten years on since the start of the conflict in Syria, Paul Conroy talks to former Sunday Times journalist and colleague of Marie Colvin, Tom Pattinson, about those fateful hours in Homs.

- - - - -

Show notes and transcription:
DEF086 - Show Notes

- - - - -

Timestamps:
Coming soon…

- - - - -

If you have any questions then please email Defiance.

- - - - -

The Digital Afterlife - DEF:Tech #002

If you could cheat death, would you?

Technology has progressed at a phenomenal rate, allowing us to do things deemed impossible. In this episode, Edwina Stott takes a look at the tech, which could enable us to live forever and asks whether an eternal digital afterlife is something we really want.

She speaks with Eugenia Kuyda, founder of Replika, who built a chatbot from her dead friend’s text messages; Professor Michael Graziano, who firmly believes that one day we’ll all upload our brains to a digital universe and Associate Professor Patrick Stokes, who explains why we’ll all have a digital afterlife - whether we like it, or not.

- - - - -

Show notes and transcription:
DEF:Tech #002 - Show Notes

- - - - -

Timestamps:
Coming soon…

- - - - -

If you have any questions then please email Defiance.

- - - - -

Everyone Loves Britney - IV. Blackout

In Everyone Loves Britney, we investigate the complex conservatorship case of Britney Spears.

The series looks at her troubled past and what led to her being put under a conservatorship. We question the legality of the processes that took place, and analyse the problems within the probate court system. We speak to people who have been through conservatorships and the attorneys who want to see change. And we ask who stands to benefit from Britney's ongoing conservatorship that has cost her millions.

Does Britney really need the conservatorship, or is she being held against her will?

IV. Blackout
Britney's father has controlled her conservatorship for 13 years, but Britney has now said she will no longer perform whilst he is in control. In this episode, we look at who has been making money from Britney's estate and whether Britney really needs the conservatorship or not.

- - - - -

Show notes and transcription:
DEF085 - Show Notes

- - - - -

Timestamps:
Coming soon…

- - - - -

If you have any questions then please email Defiance.

- - - - -

Everyone Loves Britney - III. Toxic

In Everyone Loves Britney, we investigate the complex conservatorship case of Britney Spears.

The series looks at her troubled past and what led to her being put under a conservatorship. We question the legality of the processes that took place, and analyse the problems within the probate court system. We speak to people who have been through conservatorships and the attorneys who want to see change. And we ask who stands to benefit from Britney's ongoing conservatorship that has cost her millions.

Does Britney really need the conservatorship or is she being held against her will?

III. Toxic
Britney’s previously absent father takes control of her life and wealth as her conservator but questions are asked as to whether she needs or wants a conservatorship. In this episode, we look at a system that has failed many of the most vulnerable it is meant to protect and what is being done to change the system.

- - - - -

Show notes and transcription:
DEF083 - Show Notes

- - - - -

Timestamps:
Coming soon…

- - - - -

If you have any questions then please email Defiance.

- - - - -

Everyone Loves Britney - II. Circus

In Everyone Loves Britney, we investigate the complex conservatorship case of Britney Spears.

The series looks at her troubled past and what led to her being put under a conservatorship. We question the legality of the processes that took place, and analyse the problems within the probate court system. We speak to people who have been through conservatorships and the attorneys who want to see change. And we ask who stands to benefit from Britney's ongoing conservatorship that has cost her millions.

Does Britney really need the conservatorship or is she being held against her will?

II. Circus
At the height of her fame, Britney's struggles become apparent as the media frenzy around her starts to become dangerously intrusive and chronicles every aspect of her personal life. The collapse of her marriage and losing custody of her kids send her spiralling out of control and the public become judge and jury in a case that sees her locked into a court-appointed conservatorship.

- - - - -

Show notes and transcription:
DEF083 - Show Notes

- - - - -

Timestamps:
Coming soon…

- - - - -

If you have any questions then please email Defiance.

- - - - -

Every Podcast » Defiance » Facebook & Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower | Brittany Kaiser