Rafizi Ramli Claims Invoke Malaysia Is Different From Cambridge Analytica. Here's How
"The issue is whether you obtained the data legally or illegally."
By Jia Vern Tham — 05 Apr 2018, 01:46 PM
On 29 March, UMNO Youth urged the authorities to investigate Invoke Malaysia, a research centre headed by vice president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Rafizi Ramli for allegedly obtaining personal data without permission
According to New Straits Times (NST), UMNO Youth social media bureau chairman Ibdilillah Ishak and four other members lodged a report against Invoke Malaysia at the Communications and Multimedia Ministry.
The basis of their report was that Invoke Malaysia's research methods on the 14th general election were questionable, and the centre might have obtained data without permission of the owners.
The call for investigating Invoke Malaysia came after its prediction that Pakatan Harapan will win Kedah, Perak, Johor, Selangor, and Penang in the 14th general election
The Malaysian Insight (TMI) reported that on 10 March, Rafizi presented the centre's prediction "based on a survey".
According to NST, the survey was conducted through calls to millions of Malaysians with an interactive voice response (IVR) tool through social media and Invoke Malaysia volunteers.
The survey also claimed that Barisan Nasional would win Terengganu and Kelantan, and retain Pahang.
As a result, Invoke Malaysia was questioned by Ibdilillah for the methods it used in carrying out the survey
"Did Invoke obtain the personal data of over 17 million Malaysians illegally? Does it involve another data breach? Which sources provided the personal data?" Ibdillilah was quoted by NST as saying after lodging the report against Invoke Malaysia at Putrajaya Police headquarters.
He also urged the authorities to investigate the centre and "take stern action" against the centre if it did steal personal data of Malaysians.
Rafizi recently told The Edge Financial Daily how Invoke Malaysia uses big data analytics differently from the scandal-ridden Cambridge Analytica to target voters, in contrast to what Ibdillilah has claimed
In an interview with The Edge Financial Daily on 2 April, Rafizi admitted that even though what Invoke Malaysia and Cambridge Analytica do are "conceptually the same", but they contrast each other in reality.
It was also noted that Invoke Malaysia is financed by crowdfunding, in comparison to Cambridge Analytica that gets paid for its services.
Rafizi pointed out that the biggest issue Cambridge Analytica had was mining data illegally
Rafizi told The Edge Financial Daily that Cambridge Analytica went to Facebook and "sucked" personal data out of the 'This is Your Digital Life' app without the knowledge of Facebook and its users.
Rafizi also said that Facebook had known about this loophole much earlier but "kept quiet about the whole thing".
"The issue here is whether you obtained the data legally or illegally, and whether the customers, citizens or users know that the information they provide will be used in a certain way," Rafizi emphasised.
Rafizi also explained how Invoke Malaysia obtains and analyses data of potential voters
The Edge Financial Daily reported that Invoke Malaysia uses data obtained from voters through Facebook and telephone polls conducted by around 20,000 volunteers.
The data reveals monthly voter sentiments and voting trends, and with statistical analysis, Invoke Malaysia believes that "persuadable" fence-sitters can be identified, micro-targeted and fed with "carefully crafted election content".
According to Rafizi, Invoke Malaysia conducts regression analysis based on responses from their surveys to profile potential voters. The centre has its own data of potential voters from the Election Commission's electoral roll and PKR's petitions in the past.
Invoke Malaysia’s findings from their survey on the 14th general election.
Image via Invoke MalaysiaRafizi explained that Invoke Malaysia identifies a group of potential voters in a constituency who might be fence-sitters, and submit them to Facebook.
"Facebook will come back to us and say, of the 50,000 people we submitted only 10,000 have Facebook accounts but they won't tell us which ones," he added.
Facebook will then inform Invoke Malaysia the cost of sending a "post" to the 10,000 people, which could be 20 sen each, and charge the organisation accordingly.
While Cambridge Analytica allegedly used methods such as sending Ukrainian women to seduce a rival candidate in order to help their clients win an election, Rafizi stressed that Invoke Malaysia only develops and shares positive content
He told The Edge Financial Daily that Invoke Malaysia's content focuses on what Pakatan Harapan and its candidates can do.
Rafizi also claimed that the organisation stays away from discriminatory, highly provocative, or fake messages and content.
"Any below-the-bet blows like sex stories are big no-nos," he added.
Apart from interviewing Rafizi, The Edge Financial Daily's report also touched on how social media can play a major role in the results of the 14th general election. You can read the rest of the report here.