MPS from 7 nations to grill Facebook VP
LONDON: Richard Allan, Facebook’s vice-president of policy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, will face questions on fake news from parliamentarians of the UK, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Latvia and Singapore in London next week.
“An unprecedented international grand committee comprising 22 representatives from seven parliaments will meet in London next week to put questions to Facebook about the online fake news crisis and the social network’s own string of data misuse scandals,” TechCrunch reported on Friday.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is facing criticism for deciding not to testify before the grand committee that plans to grill the social media giant over data breach issues and systematic political interference.
The committee offered the opportunity for Zuckerberg to give evidence over a video link, but it was refused.
“Facebook has offered Richard Allan, vice-president of policy solutions, which the committee has accepted,” a spokesperson from Britain’s digital, culture, media and sport parliamentary committee was quoted as saying.
The committee was formed in the wake of a recent New York Times investigation that suggested that the social network hired a Republican-owned political consulting and public relations firm that “dug up dirt on its competitors” and “the senior leadership team became aware of the breaches and the spread of Russian disinformation”.
Facebook investors have increased pressure on Zuckerberg to step down as chairman, which he has refused.
The committee has spearheaded the international effort to hold Facebook to account for its role in a string of major data scandals, joining forces with similarly concerned panels.