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Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook scandal hearing was a COLOSSAL waste of time – here’s what they should have asked
GRILLING Mark Zuckerberg at US Congress yesterday should've been like shooting fish in a barrel.
If only the senators had bothered to learn how their guns worked.
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The billionaire Facebook CEO is famously rubbish at high-pressure public appearances.
So he'll be feeling pretty chipper right now after yesterday's toothless hearing.
Facebook has already admitted it gave away users' personal info without their permission – and says it may have happened multiple times.
But rather than hauling Zuck over the coals, senators at the first formal hearing on the privacy scandal used the session for tech support instead.
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An unusually bold Zuck was bombarded with vague questions that made false assumptions about how Facebook works.
Zuck was asked why Facebook is handing your data to advertisers for cash – even though it isn't.
Then he was probed on why Facebook users aren't allowed to turn off personalised online ads – even though they are.
And one even queried why Facebook doesn't operate a free service without ads. Business 101, anyone?
"Mr Zuckerberg, how do I get my printer to work?" could've been asked at any moment.
The worst moment was when Senator Brian Schatz repeatedly asked Zuck whether Facebook could see EMAILS he sent via WhatsApp. Face, meet palm.
Unsurprisingly, the 33-year-old tech boff looked gleeful as he batted off mundane questions about his social network.
After a dull two hours, senators called for a break – but Zuck asked if they could keep going.
Zuck was loving it, and it would only get better for him.
Several senators deigned to ask the Facebook CEO if he'd be willing to accept regulations.
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Just like every time he's been asked before, Zuck offered a confident response: "If it's the right regulation."
Hold on...isn't it the government's job to enforce the law? Here we've got top US lawmakers asking Zuck's permission to crack down on his rogue creation.
Here's the fifth richest man in the world, boasting a $71billion fortune made hoarding people's private info, with top politicians begging at his heel.
It's sickening, frankly.
Part of the problem was that senators only got five minutes each to ask questions.
So Zuck could wave off any tough asks by saying "my team will find out for you". Great, thanks mate.
Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg says he won't be comfortable sharing publicly in which hotel he stayed the previous night
The biggest problem is that there are loads of questions that normal people still need answers to.
If you've deleted Facebook, how can you find out whether your data was taken?
How many similar data giveaways have happened, and how will normal Facebook users be able to find out?
Why won't Facebook dole out some compensation cash to affected users, rather than forcing everyday users to battle their way through legal systems in tiresome class-action lawsuits?
And why shouldn't Zuck give up control of Instagram and WhatsApp, and loosen his tight hold on some of the world's biggest social media platforms?
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Today, lucky Zuck is set for another hearing, and it's probably going to be much the same story.
Politicians need to do their homework on tech firms, or these companies will keep getting away with murder.
If our lawmakers don't understand how Facebook works, how can they possibly crack down on it?
Do you think US senators let Zuckerberg off the hook? Let us know in the comments!
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