"US Firm Takes Down Private Network Profiling Indian Activists Opposing Pesticides, GMO After Reports", 14 February 2025

A US-based reputation management firm involved in monitoring activities of those critical of pesticides and genetically modified (GM) crops on a private social network has ceased its profiling operations following an investigation led by investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports

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The Missouri-based firm v-Fluence Interactive, headed by a former Monsanto executive, Jay Byrne, confirmed in an official statement on December 9, 2024, that the company has removed its Bonus Eventus portal that served as a “stakeholder wiki” hosting profiles of over 500 individuals globally.

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The private network included profiles of prominent Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva, ecologist Debal Deb, organisations like Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India and other scientists and academics.

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v-Fluence said in its official statement in December last year that the removal of profiles comes after an “independent legal review” of obligations under the European data privacy rules. They also informed that the firm will “continue to offer stakeholder research with updated guidelines to avoid future misinterpretations of our work product”.

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A number of profiles on the Bonus Eventus portal contained personal information such as phone number, email and residential address, details of people’s personal website, and income among other details of the individuals. Indian activists profiled on the network expressed concerns about potential misuse of data by those having access to such data.