Internet needs rules admits Zuckerberg

FACEBOOK chief Mark Zuckerberg has called for tougher government regulation of harmful content on social media websites like his own.

In an open letter, he said regulators should play a ‘more active role’ in policing issues like hate speech, privacy and interference with elections.

He called for governments to help draw up a ‘global framework’ which would set out the rules for internet companies. And he claimed Facebook is poised to ‘ help address these issues’, and is keen to ‘discuss them with lawmakers around the world’. His comments will be met with scepticism by many, as Facebook has lobbied against regulation in the past.

In addition, Mr Zuckerberg’s letter failed to mention the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which saw 50million users’ personal data harvested without their permission.

His letter, in the Washington Post, says that governments should hold companies ‘accountable’ for removing harmful content, set standards on political advertising, ‘impose sanctions’ when they violate users’ privacy and ensure data can be moved easily between services.

It reads: ‘We need a more active role for governments and regulators. By updating the rules of the internet we can preserve what’s best about it while protecting society.’

He wants data privacy rules similar to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and said governments should set ‘ baselines’ for removing harmful content.