Watch live: Mark Zuckerberg testifying on Facebook users' data before the U.S. Congress

[Polycount]

Update (4/11): On day two of Facebook CEO's scheduled Congress hearing, he's expected testifying in front of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Watch below.

Update (4/10): Mark Zuckerberg is testifying on Facebook users' data before a joint meeting of the Senate Commerce and Judiciary committees. This is the first time Facebook’s founder testifies before Congress, somewhat reminding us of the late 1990s when then technology industry's poster child, Bill Gates was put in the hot seat, trying to defend Microsoft's business practices. Watch below.

The original story follows below:

Last Wednesday, we reported Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg would be testifying in front of Congress regarding the recent Cambridge Analytica debacle. Though the official hearing won't be taking place until Wednesday, Congress has released Zuckerberg's prepared statements to the public a couple days early.

In his written testimony, Zuckerberg covers quite a bit of ground. The CEO explains how the Cambridge Analytica scandal came to be and what the platform will be doing to combat similar issues in the future. "We have a responsibility to make sure what happened with Kogan and Cambridge Analytica doesn't happen again," The CEO said.

Zuckerberg went on to cite some examples of the steps Facebook is taking to ensure that happens, saying the company will be "removing developers' access to your data" if you haven't used their app in three months as well as reducing the amount of information those apps can gather about you.

...Facebook app developers will only be able to gather information like your name, profile photo and email address.

Soon, Facebook app developers will only be able to gather information like your name, profile photo and email address. "That's a lot less than apps can get on any other major app platform," Zuckerberg's statement reads.

Zuckerberg also discussed Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, saying Facebook plans to "[build] new technology to prevent abuse" and "[significantly increase their] investment in security."

The social media platform is also improving some of their automated platform security systems, making it easier for their algorithms to track down "fake news spammers" and disable their accounts.

Facebook's plans certainly seem solid enough on paper but only time will tell if the company can make them a reality. You can read Zuckerberg's full testimony over on CNBC.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/74078-congress-releases-mark-zuckerberg-written-testimony-ahead-wednesday.html

 

[Uncle Al]

Like a lot of public companies, the shareholders should be able to determine who will continue to run the company. Frankly, he's been given a pass too often; it's time to pay the piper .....

 

[TomSEA]

Pretty loosey-goosey way to run the largest online social media website in the world. Looks like greed/complacency got in the way of integrity.

I've had a number of friends delete their FB accounts because of this. I don't use mine enough (maybe once a week) to warrant deleting it. But if I were a regular user, I'd certainly consider it.

 

[Lounds]

Pretty loosey-goosey way to run the largest online social media website in the world. Looks like greed/complacency got in the way of integrity.

I've had a number of friends delete their FB accounts because of this. I don't use mine enough (maybe once a week) to warrant deleting it. But if I were a regular user, I'd certainly consider it.

I'm a daily user, I won't be deleting mine, Facebook is great media tool, I always knew my information would be used this way, I'm just too aware to let fake news change my judgement.

 

[Nobina]

Like a lot of public companies, the shareholders should be able to determine who will continue to run the company. Frankly, he's been given a pass too often; it's time to pay the piper .....

I'm sure he won't have a problem with paying the piper considering how much money he has.

 

[Burty117]

I actually felt kinda bad for Zuckerberg, the senator just seemed like he'd never used Facebook before and triggered me a bit every time he said "if I send an email, through WhatsApp..." come on dude...

Also, a bit before, one of the other guys piped up "so if our data is that important to you, where's our cut?" so this is just a "how can we get a piece of the pie" interrogation as far as I can tell.

All because an App Developer took data he'd got from Facebook and sold it to Cambridge Analytica.

I'm also a little confused on some of the questions they were asking, do people seriously not know how Facebook makes money? There's bloody movie on it! Just the govourment wanting some money, hope Zuckerberg doesn't give them any, just people in power playing dumb for financial gain.

 

[D3z4R1]

do people seriously not know how Facebook makes money? There's bloody movie on it!.

YES, there ARE people who seriously do not know how Fecesbook... Facebook and similar “free” sites monetize their services. Just because there was a movie about it doesn’t mean everyone knew about it (if they did, not everyone cares to watch it either).

"if I send an email, through WhatsApp..." come on dude...

He may or may not have been genuinely asking the question, but with the ubiquity of Facebook’s presence, there are also those who believe Facebook is fundamentally tied to their email and messaging programs.

Hell, if the Facebook phone was ever released, there’d be sheeps waiting in line to purchase it like it’s a new overpriced iPhone!

 

[bohemond1099]

He got demolished by Ted Cruz; Zuckenberg just looked like a squirming, lying PoS during Cruz's questioning.

 

[Burty117]

YES, there ARE people who seriously do not know how Fecesbook...

Ah very mature...

Facebook and similar “free” sites monetize their services.

It's literally the most obvious thing in the world, nothings free and the moment you first ever login to Facebook, you get adverts. If you can't 1+1, you probably shouldn't be near anything as "complicated" as Facebook.

Just because there was a movie about it doesn’t mean everyone knew about it (if they did, not everyone cares to watch it either).

We'll circle back round to this one in a minute but my point still stands, Out of all the business models out there, Microsoft's, Amazon's, Even Google's, are far more complex with revenue streams from all over the place, Facebook's is nice and simple in comparison.

He may or may not have been genuinely asking the question

So you're saying, being live streamed across the world for everyone to see, in a court of law, under oath, they "may or may not have been genuinely asking the question?! Good to see they spent all this time, effort and money just to have a bit of a laugh in the court room...

but with the ubiquity of Facebook’s presence, there are also those who believe Facebook is fundamentally tied to their email and messaging programs.

But it has NEVER, as in, NEVER, been fundamentally tied to email and messaging program's. Everyone who's left Facebook, or never been on Facebook, guess what? They still email, message and share content without Facebook.

Hell, if the Facebook phone was ever released, there’d be sheeps waiting in line to purchase it like it’s a new overpriced iPhone!

And this is where I wanted to circle back to a comment you made earlier on:

Just because there was a movie about it doesn’t mean everyone knew about it (if they did, not everyone cares to watch it either).

So, in your world, if a Movie comes out about Facebook, nobody is going to care for it. But if they release a Smartphone with Facebook built into it, at it's core, everyone will go running out to buy one? Just let that sink in for a second.

 

[senketsu]

It's an interesting, if long, watch. Note the questions that make Zuckerberg look like he might be going to the electric chair.