Facebook boss to apologise to Euro Parliament over data breach

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg will say sorry to the European Parliament, pledging that the social media giant has learned hard lessons from a massive breach of users' personal data, reports AFP. Zuckerberg's comments, released in advance of the hearing in Brussels yesterday, are the latest part of a tour of contrition over the Cambridge Analytica scandal that began in the US Congress in April. "Whether it's fake news, foreign interference in elections or developers misusing people's information, we didn't take a broad enough view of our responsibilities," Zuckerberg will say, according to prepared remarks e-mailed to AFP.

"That was a mistake, and I'm sorry." The Facebook chief's grilling by the European Parliament will be live-streamed to the public after he staged a U-turn on Monday and agreed to a webcast, in a further bid to limit the fallout from the data scandal. Angry EU lawmakers had objected to initial plans for it to be held behind closed doors.

Facebook admitted that up to 87 million users may have had their data hijacked by British consultancy Cambridge Analytica, which worked for US President Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign.

The Silicon Valley giant has told the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, that the personal data of up to 2.7 million Europeans may have been sent inappropriately to Cambridge Analytica, which has since filed for bankruptcy in the US.

Zuckerberg will also say that Facebook will make fresh investments to protect its users in the wake of the scandal. He will tell parliament Facebook is committed to Europe, with plans to increase from 7,000 people working in a dozen European cities to 10,000 by year-end.

"I expect this will significantly impact our profitability. But I want to be clear: keeping people safe will always be more important than maximising our profits," he will add. Facebook also serves a valuable social role with tens of thousands of people having used its Safety Check feature "after the recent terrorist attacks in Berlin, Paris, London and here in Brussels", Zuckerberg will say.

 

 

Facebook boss to apologise to Euro Parliament over data breach

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg will say sorry to the European Parliament, pledging that the social media giant has learned hard lessons from a massive breach of users personal data, reports AFP. Zuckerbergs comments, released in advance of the hearing in Brussels yesterday, are the latest part of a tour of contrition over the Cambridge Analytica scandal that began in the US Congress in April. Whether its fake news, foreign interference in elections or developers misusing peoples information, we didnt take a broad enough view of our responsibilities, Zuckerberg will say, according to prepared remarks e-mailed to AFP. That was a mistake, and Im sorry. The Facebook chiefs grilling by the European Parliament will be live-streamed to the public after he staged a U-turn on Monday and agreed to a webcast, in a further bid to limit the fallout from the data scandal. Angry EU lawmakers had objected to initial plans for it to be held behind closed doors. Facebook admitted that up to 87 million users may have had their data hijacked by British consultancy Cambridge Analytica, which worked for US President Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign. The Silicon Valley giant has told the European Commission, the EUs executive arm, that the personal data of up to 2.7 million Europeans may have been sent inappropriately to Cambridge Analytica, which has since filed for bankruptcy in the US. Zuckerberg will also say that Facebook will make fresh investments to protect its users in the wake of the scandal. He will tell parliament Facebook is committed to Europe, with plans to increase from 7,000 people working in a dozen European cities to 10,000 by year-end. I expect this will significantly impact our profitability. But I want to be clear: keeping people safe will always be more important than maximising our profits, he will add. Facebook also serves a valuable social role with tens of thousands of people having used its Safety Check feature after the recent terrorist attacks in Berlin, Paris, London and here in Brussels, Zuckerberg will say.