Dem rep lists Zuckerberg’s apologies for Facebook mistakes

A Democratic lawmaker began her questions for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday by listing his history of apologizing for problems at the social media giant.

“You have a long history of growth and success, but you also have a long list of apologies,” Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) told Zuckerberg during a House hearing on Facebook’s transparency and data collection.

“In 2003, it started at Harvard. ‘I apologize for any harm done as a result of my neglect,’” she read. 

Schakowsky then listed off five other apologies Zuckerberg made over the course of a decade, including:

2006: “We really messed this one up.”

2007: “We simply did a bad job. I apologize for it.”

2010: “Sometimes we move too fast.”

2011: “I’m the first to admit we’ve made a bunch of mistakes.”

2017: “I ask for forgiveness. I will work to do better.”

{mosads}Zuckerberg’s latest apology, she pointed out, relates to Russia’s exploitation of the social media platform during the 2016 presidential race, as well as the data leaks of millions of Facebook users’ information that were then improperly used by third-party organizations. 

Zuckerberg, who was grilled by senators the day before, has apologized for the data leaks and pledged to do better going forward. 

“This is proof to me that self-regulation simply does not work,” Schakowsky concluded before jumping into her questioning.

While testifying on the Hill, Zuckerberg has repeatedly mentioned how he started Facebook in his dorm room at Harvard University, suggesting the platform has emerged as a more powerful one than he had imagined when it first began.