The Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has declined another request to answer questions from political leaders outside of the United States, which has made up to five countries to start asking the Facebook Chief to give proof for his action in person.
Zuckerberg was invited on October 31st to give proof before a UK lawmaker committee, with political leaders from Canada co-signing the invitation. This uncommon show of international organization has since been supported by legislators from Australia, Argentina, and Ireland, with these five countries representing some 170 million Facebook users to form an “international grand committee.”
According to the UK MP Damian Collins, who made the original invitation in his role as head of the country’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, he said that the Facebook CEO rejects the invitation request on the 2nd of November. Collins said in a letter published yesterday that he and his Canadian counterparts were very disappointed with the Facebook unenthusiastic response.
Collins further said in an earlier statement, “Zuckerberg has set himself personal challenge of fixing Facebook this year to prevent its misuse in our democratic process.” “By being unwilling to face questions about his progress doubts about his ability to do so remain.”
Initially, two requests have already been rejected by Zuckerberg to give proof in the UK and have so far only spoken personally to three lawmakers: the US Congress, US Senate, and European Parliament. Facebook later provide reasons for Mark Zuckerberg’s refusal to speak is that “He does not have time to talk to every country’s lawmakers.” Therefore, the international appeal.
The next committee meeting which is set for November 27th will be chaired by Collins, regardless of their action. The goal of the meeting is to examine the spread of fake news and misguided information, with the UK and Canada preparing independent reports on the topic.
Collins and his fellow political leaders repeated their statement in his latest letter for Zuckerberg to attend the meeting. “We say again: the hearing of your proof is now overdue, and urgent… We call on you once again to take up your responsibility to Facebook users, and speak in person to their elected representatives.”
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