What Cambridge Analytica really did with your Facebook data

How Cambridge Analytica’s Facebook targeting model really worked – according to the person who built it [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 30 March 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note The researcher at the center of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Aleksandr Kogan, has revealed more information about what he did with Facebook users’ personal data to internet politics scholar Matthew Hindman. In an exclusive article for The Conversation, Hindman [sheds light on what emerging machine learning technology]( can and can’t reveal about your personality. The growing crisis between Russia and the West, intensified by outrage over the Kremlin’s alleged attempt to murder a Russian double agent and his daughter in England, has led some analysts to describe the situation as a new manifestation of the old Cold War. [It’s not, writes scholar Regina Smythe of Indiana University](: This is a new kind of conflict. And while the Department of Veterans Affairs adjusts to a new leader, a doctor-scholar at a Veterans Affairs hospital shares his moving story about what it means to care for the men and women who have served our country. Dr. Sanjay Saint of the University of Michigan tells of [the poignant ritual known as the “Final Salute.”]( Jeff Inglis Science + Technology Editor Top Stories How accurately can you be profiled online? Andrew Krasovitckii/Shutterstock.com [How Cambridge Analytica’s Facebook targeting model really worked – according to the person who built it]( Matthew Hindman, George Washington University An email from Aleksandr Kogan sheds light on exactly how much your Facebook data reveals about you, and what data scientists can actually do with that information. Russian diplomats and their families boarding a plane for home after being expelled by Britain. REUTERS/Chris Radburn [Is the growing Russia crisis another Cold War conflict? Nyet]( Regina Smyth, Indiana University The crisis over alleged Russian involvement in a murder attempt on a spy and his daughter in the UK has been called an extension of the Cold War. But that war was about ideology; this crisis isn't. A veteran salutes a flag. There is often a final one that occurs inside a VA hospital. flysnowfly/Shutterstock.com [A VA hospital you may not know: the Final Salute, and how much we doctors care]( Sanjay Saint, University of Michigan The Department of Veterans Affairs and its hospitals have been criticized roundly. Sometimes lost in the chorus of complaints is the depth of feeling that VA caregivers have for the veterans, a doctor writes. Education - [Much of what you think you know about Linda Brown – a central figure in Brown v. Board of Education – is wrong]( Charise Cheney, University of Oregon While Linda Brown is being celebrated for her role in the historic Brown v. Board of Education case that desegregated US schools, a researcher says the story behind the case is more complex. - [This 'Final Four' takes place over the board – with talent from around the world]( Alexey W. Root, University of Texas at Dallas The Final Four of College Chess may not generate as much buzz as college basketball's Final Four, but proponents says its competitors represent top talent with highly coveted critical thinking skills. Arts + Culture - [Langston Hughes' hidden influence on MLK]( Jason Miller, North Carolina State University In order to avoid being labeled a communist sympathizer, King needed to publicly distance himself from the controversial poet. Privately, King found ways to channel Hughes' prose. Politics + Society - [These are the VA's 3 main problems -- leadership isn't one of them]( Richard Lachmann, University at Albany, State University of New York Privatization will aggravate, not solve VA's problems. - [Military mission in Puerto Rico after hurricane was better than critics say but suffered flaws]( Dr. Birthe Anders, Harvard University; Vincenzo Bollettino, Harvard University Compared to its foreign disaster missions, the US military mobilized slowly after Maria. But in numbers, capacity and logistics coordination, its work in Puerto Rico was on par with other aid efforts. - [Cuba's new president: What to expect]( William M. LeoGrande, American University Miguel Díaz-Canel, a 57-year-old engineer and Communist Party loyalist, is expected to succeed Raúl Castro as president of Cuba. Will change bring prosperity or instability to the Cuban people? Economy + Business - [Bobbleheads and other free swag star in baseball tax dispute]( Jonathan Entin, Case Western Reserve University The Cincinnati Reds' struggles on the field in recent years have extended into the courtroom, where they are battling to avoid paying sales tax on promotional giveaways they use to sell tickets. Science + Technology - [Discovery of a surprise multitasking gene helps explain how new functions and features evolve]( Katherine L. Petrie, University of California San Diego; Justin Meyer, University of California San Diego A core idea in molecular biology is that one gene codes for one protein. Now biologists have found an example of a gene that yields two forms of a protein – enabling it to evolve new functionality. - [The invisible power of 'flutter' – from plane crashes to snoring to free energy]( Justin Webster, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Whether or not you’ve ever used the word flutter, you’ve encountered the phenomenon – in flags, airplanes, bridges and more. Mathematicians are still figuring out exactly why and how this happens. Environment + Energy - [How Texas is 'building back better' from Hurricane Harvey]( Nicole Errett, University of Washington After disasters, communities often push to rebuild as quickly as possible. A public health expert says they should aim higher and fix problems that exist pre-storm. From our International Editions - [Just not cricket: why ball tampering is cheating]( Keith Parry, Western Sydney University; Emma Kavanagh, Bournemouth University; Steven Freeland, Western Sydney University Altering the condition of the match ball is against the rules of the sport, contrary to 'the spirit of cricket', and deemed to be 'unfair'. It is a form of cheating. - [A ban on captive animals could speed up extinction]( Laura H Graham, University of Guelph We can't save all endangered species, but we could save some. Zoo populations will be the last hope for many threatened species. - [Novel silver compounds offer a potential cancer treatment breakthrough]( Marianne J. Cronjé, University of Johannesburg; Reinout Meijboom, University of Johannesburg A new silver-based compound that is less toxic with fewer side effects could hold the key to crippling cancer. Today’s quote [For any state born in revolution, the first transfer of power to a new generation is always politically risky.]( [Cuba's new president: What to expect]( William M. LeoGrande American University [William M. LeoGrande] [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111