gun lobby organizations transmitted customer information to Cambridge Analytica
For years, gun lobbyists and affiliated organizations, such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), have amassed a vast database of gun owners in the United States. This collection began in the 1990s using warranty cards and hunting license information, with manufacturing giants like Glock and Smith & Wesson participating.
During tumultuous political times, this database became a valuable asset. In 2016, the gun industry perceived an existential threat and turned to the now-infamous political consultancy firm, Cambridge Analytica, to help sway the U.S. presidential election. This move proved fruitful; however, thousands of gun owners later discovered their names unknowingly entered in databases they hadn't consented to joining.
ProPublica, an investigative journalism organization, has extensively reported on this issue for years, highlighting the gun industry's misuse of customer privacy and data. The latest investigation by ProPublica connects gun purchases dating back to the 1980s to lobbying firms and political consultants. The resulting profiles contained details like income, debts, religious affiliations, personal interests, and online purchase histories.
Cambridge Analytica cross-referenced this information with its own data on U.S. voters to classify people into specific categories. Then they targeted these individuals with personalized ads on the internet. From someone buying a gun accessory or ammunition, to a "privacy nut" making a decade-old purchase of shotgun shells without noticeably providing more personal information, anyone could end up in one of these databases.
The NSSF, an influential lobbying group founded in 1961, has played a significant role in shaping U.S. gun policies. It operates behind the scenes, often reprimanding members stepping out of line, as witnessed with gun maker Smith & Wesson in the early 2000s for cooperating with the Clinton Administration on handgun safety.
As lawmakers take notice of this issue, the NSSF has faced scrutiny and criticism from politicians like Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut. Blumenthal requested an explanation regarding data collection practices, usage, and safety measures from the NSSF in 2022. This investigation raises concerns about the ethical and legal use of personal information given the insufficient information provided to clients about its political purposes beforehand.
In the future, there might be stricter regulations on how data is collected and used by organizations in the tech industry, including the gun industry. The misuse of technology in data collection and analysis has raised questions about privacy rights and ethical practices, as seen with the gun industry and companies like Cambridge Analytica.
