Mark Zuckerberg To Face Public EU Parliamentary Hearing
For weeks the UK Government has been appealing to Mark Zuckerberg to appear before a UK Parliamentary commission to answer questions surrounding the recent data scandal which rocked the social media site. For some reason or another, Mark Zuckerberg hasn’t been too keen to do so. Possibly because he will not be let off as lightly as many felt he was in the US Senate hearings.
It seems, however, that he has finally been able to give the UK Parliament the turndown, but not without a cost. In a report via the Independent, Mark Zuckerberg will be facing a hearing from the European Parliament. In addition, the hearing will also be public which is something many believe Mark Zuckerberg wanted to avoid.
Plans to conduct the meeting in private thwarted
In the report, it is suggested that many wished for the hearing to be held in private. Although it doesn’t name him specifically, this request was almost certainly from Mark Zuckerberg himself. Following a semi-rebellion from MEP’s though, the EU Parliament has now announced that the meeting will take place in a public forum.
As such, similar to the US Senate hearings, it’s likely that it will be broadcast on TV.
While I am disappointed he has so effectively dodged the UK Parliament, this is better than nothing. Hopefully, though, the MEP’s will give him the grilling that I think the US Senate didn’t. Particularly some questions from people who actually know something about social media and technology. It might just be me, but the US Senate seems more interested in repeating the same questions. That and the occasional fawning over him.
What do you think? Are you pleased that the hearing will be public? Do you plan to watch it if televised? How do you feel the US Senate performed when they questioned him? – Let us know in the comments!
