MPs threaten Facebook chief Zuckerberg with summons over data

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/01/mps-threaten-facebook-chief-zuckerberg-with-summons-over-data

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MPs have threatened to issue Mark Zuckerberg with a formal summons to appear in front of parliament when he next sets foot on UK soil, unless he voluntarily agrees to answer questions about the activities of his social network and the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Damian Collins, chair of the parliamentary committee that is investigating online disinformation, said he was unhappy with the information the company had provided and now wanted to hear evidence from the Facebook chief executive before parliamentary entered recess on 24 May.

“It is worth noting that, while Mr Zuckerberg does not normally come under the jurisdiction of the UK parliament, he will do so the next time he enters the country,” Collins wrote in a public letter to Facebook. “We hope that he will respond positively to our request, but, if not, the committee will resolve to issue a formal summons for him to appear when he is next in the UK.”

Collins referred to an unconfirmed report by Politico that Zuckerberg planned to appear in front of the European parliament this month, suggesting that it would be simple for the Facebook chief to extend his trip to Europe and take part in an extra hearing in the UK.

The committee has repeatedly invited Zuckerberg to give evidence but Facebook has instead sent more junior executives to answer questions from MPs.

In theory Zuckerberg could be found in contempt of parliament if he refuses a formal summons. When Rupert Murdoch and his son James resisted appearing in front of a select committee in 2011 it was speculated that potential punishments for this could include “fines and imprisonment”.

Collins said last week’s five-hour evidence session featuring the Facebook chief technology officer, Mike Schroepfer, was unsatisfactory and the executive’s answers “lacked many of the important details” needed.

Collins’ committee also formally issued a list of 39 supplementary questions they wanted answered following Schroepfer’s session, in which Facebook was labelled a “morality-free zone”.

Zuckerberg did make time to appear in front of the US Congress, where politicians were allocated five minutes each to ask questions. British select committee hearings allow politicians much more time to ask follow-up questions, potentially making it a more testing experience for the Facebook chief executive.