Showdown with Facebook
Unfixable dispute
Regarding “Facebook CEO tries to reassure lawmakers” (Page A1, Wednesday), the testifying of Mark Zuckerberg was in full swing in Washington. This kid, too bright by half, fielded innocuous questions posed by congressmen whose only goal was getting face time in front of the cameras.
Facebook has 2 billion subscribers around the world, most of whom speak languages other than English. Zuckerberg cannot hire enough people to tame this monster, even if he knew how. Facebook is expanding like the universe. It will eventually collapse of its own size, but only after it has destroyed society as we know it.
Zuckerberg has created this behemoth by intention. His design was not to bring the world together but to make untold fortunes. Laurence Shallenberger, Houston
Hypocritical
I am constantly amazed and dismayed by some of our members of Congress. Their hypocrisy in calling Mark Zuckerberg to task for the Cambridge Analytica-Facebook data breach is outrageous. This data breach was bought and paid for by their own political party. It’s like an art thief accusing the museum of not having adequate security. Ron Siemers, Houston
Clueless on tech
Regarding “‘Senator, We run ads’: Hatch mocked for basic Facebook question to Zuckerberg” (Chron.com, Wednesday), most of the senators either tried to clumsily show off for the cameras or blatantly suck up to Mark Zuckerberg, or asked long, cringe-worthy questions that sounded like grandparents checking out their first flip phone. Andrew Davis, posted via Facebook
Hot seat
Regarding “Social media reacts to Zuckerberg’s Senate testimony with memes, robot theories” (Chron.com, Tuesday), those of us on Facebook pretty much put it all out there. What makes me sick is that Congress has the audacity to put corporate CEOs in the hot seat when they themselves do not serve us well at all. They are greedy; they represent the lobbyists and not the voters; and they mislead us. Margaret Lopez Vela, posted via Facebook
Life beyond FB
Forty-four Senators show up to grill the Facebook founder over its perceived missteps. Where were those same senators convening to grill the police and gun manufacturers over Parkland, Sandy Hook, and on and on? Or the big polluters over climate change? Or infrastructure? Or disaster recovery?
Facebook makes Facebook executives a lot of money by selling your data, but it is no more important to our actual well-being than all the other entertainment media and venues. In fact, it appears to be a prime hunting ground for scammers, thieves, pedophiles and political operatives. Facebook could disappear tomorrow, and the world would at least be no worse off, maybe even a better place.
My suggestion is put your screens down and pay attention to your life and the life around you. It passes by quickly. Walt Lind, Nassau Bay