Not only did Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg finally apologize for the platform's recent data breach scandal, but he also had some words for the #DeleteFacebook movement that's gained steam as a result of it. When asked in a recent New York Times interview if he was worried about it the campaign, the CEO said, "It's not good."
Data firm Cambridge Analytica collected private data from the platform to perfect targeted ads to influence the results Donald Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign. Obviously, we see how that turned out. The resulting #DeleteFacebook movement has been gaining plenty of traction on rival social platforms like Twitter and was even backed by big names like Cher, Jim Carrey and co-founder of WhatsApp Brian Acton.
While Zuckerberg didn't report seeing a significant drop in users since news of the scandal broke, he acknowledges that the ramifications are bigger than just the numbers. "I think it’s a clear signal that this is a major trust issue for people, and I understand that," he said. "And whether people delete their app over it or just don’t feel good about using Facebook, that’s a big issue that I think we have a responsibility to rectify."
The apology and promise to do better might be too little too late, as the platform has historically been slow to respond to user security concerns.
