View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
November 14, 2018updated 30 Sep 2022 7:04am

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg turns down invitation to appear before international grand committee on ‘fake news’

By Freddy Mayhew

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has turned down invitation to attend an international grand committee on so-called “fake news” made up of MPs from five national parliaments, saying he is “not able” to attend.

The social network’s founder and chief executive has repeatedly rejected an invitation to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, which is leading the UK’s inquiry into fake news.

The latest call for Zuckerberg to appear before MPs was made jointly by DCMS Committee chairman Damian Collins MP and his Canadian counterpart Bob Zimmer.

The tech billionaire appeared before US Congress earlier this year after revelations in the Observer, Channel 4 News and New York Times that Facebook users’ data had been harvested by UK firm Cambridge Analytica and allegedly used to influence the US presidential election and Brexit vote.

Despite Zuckerberg declining the invitation to give evidence, the grand committee – said to be the first of its kind – is set to go ahead on 27 November with committee chairmen from Ireland, Australia and Argentina also set to attend.

Conservative MP Collins said a letter of reply from Facebook declining the invitation was “once again, hugely disappointing”.

He added: “We believe Mark Zuckerberg has important questions to answer about what he knew about breaches of data protection law involving their customers’ personal data, and why the company didn’t do more to identify and act against known sources of disinformation – and in particular those coming from agencies in Russia.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

“The fact that he has continually declined to give evidence, not just to my committee, but now to an unprecedented international grand committee, makes him look like he’s got something to hide.

“We will not let the matter rest there, and are not reassured in anyway by the corporate puff piece that passes off as Facebook’s letter back to us.”

The DCMS Committee is expected to report its findings on fake news and disinformation in January next year.

Picture: Reuters/Charles Platiau

Topics in this article : , ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network