Facebook urged to help with fake news inquiry

THERESA MAY has called on Facebook to co-operate with a parliamentary inquiry into fake news after founder Mark Zuckerberg refused to appear in person.

The social media billionaire’s decision to instead send a senior executive to give evidence to the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee was branded “absolutely astonishing” by its chairman.

The disclosure came amid a report by CNN that Mr Zuckerberg had agreed to testify to Congress in the United States over the release of millions of users’ data details to the UK firm, Cambridge Analytica (CA).

Appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee on Tuesday, Mrs May said: “Mr Zuckerberg will decide for himself whether he wants to come before the committee but what I hope is that Facebook will recognise why this is so significant to people, why people are so concerned about it and ensure that the committee is able to get to the answers that they want.”

Earlier Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairman Damian Collins insisted Zuckerberg himself was “the right person to give evidence” and repeated his call for him to face MPs in person or by video link.

Speaking after the committee took three and a half hours of testimony from whistle-blower Christopher Wylie, Mr Collins said: “Given the extraordinary evidence we have heard so far today it is absolutely astonishing that Mark Zuckerberg is not prepared to submit himself for questioning in front of a parliamentary or congressional hearing, given that these are questions of fundamental importance to Facebook users as well as to our inquiry.

“I would certainly urge him to think again if he has any concern for the people who use his company’s services.”

Mr Wylie is a former employee of Cambridge Analytica, which allegedly used data of Facebook users in targeted messaging on behalf of President Donald Trump’s election campaign in the US.