Zuckerberg will meet with European parliament in private next week

Who says privacy is dead? Facebook’s  founder Mark Zuckerberg  has united to require European parliamentarians’ questions about however his platform impacts the privacy of many numerous European voters — however solely behind closed doors. wherever nobody except a couple of fastidiously chosen MEPs can bear witness to what’s aforementioned.

The non-public meeting can happen on could twenty two at seventeen.45CET in Bruxelles. once that the president of the ecu Parliament, Antonio  Tajani, can hold a news conference to furnish the media along with his version of events.

It’s simply a shame that journalists area unit being blocked from having the ability to report on what really goes on within the space.

And that members of the general public won’t be able to type their own opinions regarding however Facebook’s founder responds to pressing questions about what Zuckerberg’s platform is doing to their privacy and their elementary rights.

Because the doors area unit being closed to journalists and voters.

Even the supposed contents of the meeting is been glossed over publically — with the aim of the chat being mistily couched as “to clarify problems regarding the employment of private data” in a very statement by Tajani (below).

The impact of Facebook’s platform on “electoral processes in Europe” is that the solely discussion purpose that’s specifically flagged.

Given Zuckerberg has thrice denied requests from GB lawmakers to require questions about his platform in a very public hearing we will solely assume the corporate created the CEO’s look before of EU parliamentarians conditional on the meeting being closed.

Zuckerberg did comply with public sessions with America lawmakers last month, following a significant international privacy scandal regarding user knowledge and political ad targeting.

But patently the company’s sense of responsibleness doesn’t travel terribly so much. (Despite a collection of ‘privacy principles’ that Facebook printed with nice fanfare at the beginning of the year — one in all that reads: ‘We area unit accountable’. Albeit Facebook didn’t specify to World Health Organization or what specifically Facebook feels responsible.)

We’ve reached intent on Facebook to raise why Zuckerberg won't take European parliamentarians queries in a very public hearing. And so whether or not Mark will realize the time to jump on a train to London later on to testify before the DCMS committee’s enquiry into on-line misinformation — and can update this story with any response.

As Vera Jourova, the ecu commissioner for justice and shoppers, place it in a very tweet, it’s a pity the Facebook founder doesn't believe all Europeans should knowledge their knowledge is handled by his company. simply a choose few, holding positions of elective  workplace.

 
A pity or, well, a shame. 

Safe to mention, not all MEPs area unit proud of the arrangement…

And in line with associate EU parliament supply, around [*fr1] the teams needed associate open hearing with the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and residential Affairs — with solely atiny low majority of the Conference of Presidents agreeing to a closed meeting.

But let’s a minimum of be appreciative that Zuckerberg has shown America, once again, however substantially privacy matters — to him personally…