mobile.nytimes.com/…
Article describes how CEO Alexander Nix had testified to U.K. Parliament that they did no business with Russians or Russian organizations, but that sources told the times different.
[Employees] had contact in 2014 and 2015 with executives from Lukoil, the Russian oil giant.
Lukoil was interested in how data was used to target American voters, according to two former company insiders who said there were at least three meetings with Lukoil executives...
A voter profiling expert remembers “being super confused” why Russian oil giant Lukoil was interested in targeting American voters, without any obvious business need.
Christopher Wylie, who helped found Cambridge Analytica and develop the company’s voter-profiling technology, said Lukoil showed interest in how the company used data to tailor messaging to American voters.
“I remember being super confused,” said Mr. Wylie, who took part in one of the Lukoil meetings.
“I kept asking Alexander, ‘Can you explain to me what they want?’” he said, referring to Mr. Nix. “I don’t understand why Lukoil wants to know about political targeting in America.”
Another employee backed up the claim anonymously, due to an ongoing non-disclosure agreement, per the article, which is another reminder how corporations can limit free speech and hide secrets from the public.
There’s more in there about Putin conducting American focus groups in 2014 and a photo of Putin with the Lukoil CEO. And yes, they have told at least some American investigators.
Saturday, Mar 17, 2018 · 11:58:52 PM +00:00
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CorpFlunky
More great Guardian reporting here: www.theguardian.com/…
Including how Mercer funded, Bannon encouraged and the incredible story about a researcher nicknamed “Dr Spectre” who worked both in Cambridge U.K. and St. Petersburg Russia. He helped assemble the psychographic data that Nix has misrepresented the origins.
Thanks to CounterPunch for the link!