Facebook privacy crisis my fault – Zuckerberg
FACEBOOK founder Mark Zuckerberg has insisted the social network’s problems are all down to his mistakes.
In testimony prepared for an appearance before the US House of Representatives, he said Facebook didn’t do enough to prevent its tools from being used for harm, especially in terms of fake news, foreign interference in elections, hate speech, developer policies and data privacy.
“It was my mistake, and I’m sorry,” said Mr Zuckerberg in his statement to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “I started Facebook, I run it, and I’m responsible for what happens here.”
Mr Zuckerberg is due to testify to Congress today and tomorrow in the midst of the worst privacy crisis in Facebook’s history. The 33-year-old chief executive, wearing a dark suit rather than his trademark hoodie, met lawmakers on Capitol Hill yesterday.
Facebook has admitted the personal information of up to 87 million users may have been improperly shared with political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.
Facebook says it began yesterday informing users whose data may have been shared with Cambridge Analytica, the London-based company which counts US President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign among its past clients, and which has disputed Facebook’s estimate of the number of affected users.