Zuckerberg ‘ sorry’ for not doing enough over data scandal

■ Facebook CEO takes personal responsibility for scandal

Washington, April 10: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologised to the US Congress and took personal responsibility over the Cambridge Analytica scandal and for “not doing enough” to protect Facebook’s 87 million users’ private data from being misused and manipulated.

In a testimony released yesterday on the eve of his first congressional appearance, Zuckerberg accepted responsibility for the social network’s failure to protect private data of its users and prevent manipulation of the platform.

“We didn’t take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that was a big mistake. It was my mistake, and I’m sorry,” Zuckerberg said in his written testimony released by a House of Representatives panel.

“I started Facebook, I run it, and I’m responsible for what happens here.”

“It’s clear now that we didn’t do enough to prevent these tools from being used for harm as well. That goes for fake news, foreign interference in elections, and hate speech,” Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg, 33, who is facing the worst crisis of business, will testify before senators later today and a House panel tomorrow amid a firestorm over the hijacking of data on millions of Facebook users by the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

In prepared remarks released by a congressional panel, Zuckerberg admitted he was too idealistic and failed to grasp how the platform, used by two billion people, could be abused and manipulated.

Yesterday, he met Senator Bill Nelson and other lawmakers.

“I just met one- on- one with Zuckerberg and in no uncertain terms reminded him that Facebook has a responsibility to its users to protect our personal data. Facebook failed us,” Nelson said.

“Not only did they fail to safeguard the personal information of millions of users, they concealed it from us and this is not the first time the company mishandled user information. Only now are they coming clean and informing those who have had their information compromised and telling us they are going to make things right,” he said.

Last week, Zuckerberg admitted making a “huge mistake” as personal data of up to 87 million users may have been improperly shared with British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, a figure higher than the previous estimate of 50 million.

Zuckerberg, who cofounded Facebook in 2004, once again admitted the lapses and asked for another chance to lead the company.

Embroiled in a massive data breach following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook had said data on about 87 million people - mostly in the US - may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.

Nelson said he has asked the Congressional leadership to to haul Cambridge Analytica in to answer questions at a separate hearing.

“The bottom line here is: if Facebook can’t fix its privacy problems, then how can Americans trust them to be caretakers of their sensitive information?” he asked.