‘Without Facebook Brexit would not have happened!’ Farage quizzes 'horrified' Zuckerberg
FACEBOOK’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg was quizzed by MEPs but Nigel Farage also took the opportunity to point out how important Facebook was to the success of Brexit, Trump and the recent Italian elections, something which Mr Farage said would “horrify” Mr Zuckerberg.
Farage GRILLS Zuckerberg over Facebook impartiality
Nigel Farage also questioned Facebook’s CEO on why he had changed his algorithms and how they are impacting people with “right of centre political opinions”.
Mr Farage, the MEP for South East England said: “Mr Zuckerberg, I am the largest user of Facebook in all the European Union institutions in terms of followers, in terms of engagement, so I’m your best client here in the room.
“I have no idea of the value of that but I am pleased to see you as I hope you are pleased to see me.
“The one slight problem I have, I was watching very carefully the testimony you gave on Capitol Hill.
It was social media that allowed people to get around the back of mainstream media
“Time and again people asked you ‘Is this genuinely a neutral political platform?’
“You come up with the same line, again and again, it is well-crafted.
“You say Facebook is a platform for all ideas.
“Now historically it is true that through Facebook and other forms of social media, there is no way that Brexit or Trump or the Italian elections could ever possibly of happened.
Zuckerberg struggles to answer question on Facebook 'tracking'
“It was social media that allowed people to get around the back of mainstream media.
“Now, perhaps you are horrified by this creation and what it has led to, I don’t know but what is absolutely true is that since January of this year, you have changed your algorithms and it has led directly to a very substantial drop in views and engagements for those that have got right of centre political opinions.”
MPs in Britain had demanded Mr Zuckerberg attend a hearing in Westminster but instead, Facebook sent one of their CEO’s deputies Mike Schroepfer in April.
Damian Collins, the chairman of the digital, culture, media and sport select committee, has constantly sent requests to Mr Zuckerberg because the data breach hit more than 1 million UK users.
