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v-Fluence, a St. Louis-based firm, has ceased operations of a controversial private portal that profiled more than 500 environmental and food advocates, following public outrage spurred by a Guardian investigation. This web portal included sensitive personal information such as home addresses and derogatory descriptions of its subjects, including well-known figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee for health secretary.
The company stated that its actions were aimed at counteracting critics of pesticides and genetically modified organisms, with partial funding from US taxpayer dollars. The profiling efforts faced severe backlash, including threats of litigation from those documented in the portal. Jay Byrne, head of v-Fluence, attributed the company's struggles to what he described as a smear campaign rooted in misleading claims.
In light of the revelations, several corporate partners retracted their support, and v-Fluence announced significant staff reductions. The firm will now refocus its services while promising to avoid future misinterpretations.