Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is coming clean regarding the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Zuckerberg apologized and admitted to Congress on Monday that his company could have done more to protect its users' data from being misused. This mea culpa of sorts comes as Zuckerberg is set to testify in Congress regarding the misuse of user data and the role Facebook played in the 2016 presidential election.
Zuckerberg said, “We didn’t take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that was a big mistake.” These comments were released by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee. “It was my mistake, and I’m sorry. I started Facebook, I run it, and I’m responsible for what happens here.” It’s not exactly an about-face, but Zuckerberg did pull an about-dress when meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, trading in his signature hoodie for a suit and tie.
During Zuckerberg’s testimony on Monday and Tuesday of this week, lawmakers will look to get to the bottom of the company’s admission that it managed to allow Cambridge Analytica to get its own hands on the private user information of 87 million of Facebook's over 2 billion users.
Meanwhile, Facebook is under investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for how it uses and protects (or doesn’t protect) data.
Zuckerberg also said Monday, “Protecting our community is more important than maximizing our profits.” He also said Facebook failed to react quickly enough to “spot and respond to Russian interference, and we’re working hard to get better,” which like the misused user data, is believed by many to have influence the 2016 presidential election.
