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I sincerely doubt that Cambridge Analytica is really shutting down. Rather, I expect the same principals will continue doing the same things for the same custom

I sincerely doubt that Cambridge Analytica is really shutting down. Rather, I expect the same principals will continue doing the same things for the same customers under a new name within a year. That's just a name change. See also: Blackwater -> Xe -> Academi

skort 9y ago
Emerdata. http://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-executives-and-mercer-family-launch-emerdata-2018-3 http://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-executive...
- jonhendry18 9y ago
  It even involved Erik Prince of Blackwater infamy, brother of Betsy Devos.
- gremlinsinc 9y ago
  Of course that's a thing. Corporate corruption is way too rampant. CEOs should serve time when breaking laws and be barred from serving as a top level exec in any capacity unless they're the founder and even then they should have stipulations like a parole officer who's an accountant/auditor and checks their books every few months.
  - pmoriarty 9y ago
    "CEOs should serve time when breaking laws and be barred from serving as a top level exec in any capacity unless they're the founder..." Why unless they're the founder?
    - gremlinsinc 9y ago
      Because I'm still a believer in rehabilitation, just as I feel felons who want to go straight should get another chance... I'm also very supportive of any new startup as long as it's on the up and up it contributes to the overall economy..I just don't think they should come out of jail and get a golden parachute deal or a job from day one.. Finding the next gig should be as hard for them as it is for Lenny the homeless guy who is in jail for stealing booze or loitering. They're still American, but I have more pity for the Lennie's than the Bernie Madoffs of the world.
    - foobarchu 9y ago
      If it didn't have that exception, then you're essentially saying "this group of people is barred from starting their own business", which is a pretty broad thing to do in a society that prides itself on free enterprise and entrepreneurship.
thephyber 9y ago
That was exactly the scenario I first thought of when I saw this headline. From what I remember, the researcher who started collecting Facebook data has already tried to scrub his connections with Cambridge Analytica and it's UK parent company from his CV and research history.
c3534l 9y ago
Exactly. They're abandoning the brand. Those in charge aren't changing jobs and industries.
pesmhey 9y ago
If your brand's no good anymore, change the name. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbbZc2pab9k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbbZc2pab9k
lordnacho 9y ago
Same thought here. What assets are this kind of firm really made of, if not knowledge workers? Are there a lot of databases that will be shut down, rather than sold to some other entity? Or just pirated? Apart from that, what is it? Office furniture? I would suspect the workers will regroup, some of them having had their internal political status changed by the scandal, others holding the external relationships, and the business will go on in some shape.
- InitialLastName 9y ago
  My uncle is CIO of a law firm. We were discussing my company's inventory management system (we're an electronics manufacturer), and he made a point that's stuck with me: "90% of my inventory value walks out the door at the end of the day."
matt4077 9y ago
In business, it’s often possible to change the name and get the plausible deniability you need to continue. In politics, any future venture by these people is going to have a difficult time. No candidate wants to be called out for employing anyone from CA’s core team now. What’s also going to be really hard to shake is th litany of articles pointing out that CA actually failed pretty badly at achieving its promises. Just consider the “honey trap” offers they were making: if you actually own the secret sauce to influence elections with big data and machine learning and psycho ops... why go for the oldest, most shady trick in the book?
bitwize 9y ago
Or Unbounded Solutions -> BrighterBrain.
sorokod 9y ago
Or perhaps CA ex-employees will join Facebook.

skort 9y ago

Emerdata. http://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-executives-and-mercer-family-launch-emerdata-2018-3 http://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-executive...

jonhendry18 9y ago
It even involved Erik Prince of Blackwater infamy, brother of Betsy Devos.
gremlinsinc 9y ago
Of course that's a thing. Corporate corruption is way too rampant. CEOs should serve time when breaking laws and be barred from serving as a top level exec in any capacity unless they're the founder and even then they should have stipulations like a parole officer who's an accountant/auditor and checks their books every few months.
- pmoriarty 9y ago
  "CEOs should serve time when breaking laws and be barred from serving as a top level exec in any capacity unless they're the founder..." Why unless they're the founder?
  - gremlinsinc 9y ago
    Because I'm still a believer in rehabilitation, just as I feel felons who want to go straight should get another chance... I'm also very supportive of any new startup as long as it's on the up and up it contributes to the overall economy..I just don't think they should come out of jail and get a golden parachute deal or a job from day one.. Finding the next gig should be as hard for them as it is for Lenny the homeless guy who is in jail for stealing booze or loitering. They're still American, but I have more pity for the Lennie's than the Bernie Madoffs of the world.
  - foobarchu 9y ago
    If it didn't have that exception, then you're essentially saying "this group of people is barred from starting their own business", which is a pretty broad thing to do in a society that prides itself on free enterprise and entrepreneurship.

thephyber 9y ago

That was exactly the scenario I first thought of when I saw this headline. From what I remember, the researcher who started collecting Facebook data has already tried to scrub his connections with Cambridge Analytica and it's UK parent company from his CV and research history.

c3534l 9y ago

Exactly. They're abandoning the brand. Those in charge aren't changing jobs and industries.

pesmhey 9y ago

If your brand's no good anymore, change the name. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbbZc2pab9k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbbZc2pab9k

lordnacho 9y ago

Same thought here. What assets are this kind of firm really made of, if not knowledge workers? Are there a lot of databases that will be shut down, rather than sold to some other entity? Or just pirated? Apart from that, what is it? Office furniture? I would suspect the workers will regroup, some of them having had their internal political status changed by the scandal, others holding the external relationships, and the business will go on in some shape.

InitialLastName 9y ago
My uncle is CIO of a law firm. We were discussing my company's inventory management system (we're an electronics manufacturer), and he made a point that's stuck with me: "90% of my inventory value walks out the door at the end of the day."

matt4077 9y ago

In business, it’s often possible to change the name and get the plausible deniability you need to continue. In politics, any future venture by these people is going to have a difficult time. No candidate wants to be called out for employing anyone from CA’s core team now. What’s also going to be really hard to shake is th litany of articles pointing out that CA actually failed pretty badly at achieving its promises. Just consider the “honey trap” offers they were making: if you actually own the secret sauce to influence elections with big data and machine learning and psycho ops... why go for the oldest, most shady trick in the book?

bitwize 9y ago

Or Unbounded Solutions -> BrighterBrain.

sorokod 9y ago

Or perhaps CA ex-employees will join Facebook.