LONDON, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Cambridge Analytica, the UK-based data firm at the center of a massive data breach scandal, on Wednesday said that it has filed applications to commence the proceedings and is "immediately ceasing all operations" in Britain.

Cambridge Analytica was accused of harvesting data of up to 87 million Facebook users without permission and using the data to help politicians including U.S. President Donald Trump and the Brexit campaign.