WASHINGTON, DC - Bipartisan leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter today to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg detailing their concerns with Facebook’s use and protection of user data and requesting that he testify before the committee.
The letter was signed by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Full Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH), #SubDCCP Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and #SubCommTech Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA).
The leaders wrote: “In comments to the press, you stated that the person with the most knowledge at Facebook about what Congress is trying to learn is the appropriate witness for a congressional hearing. As the Chief Executive Officer of Facebook and the employee who has been the leader of Facebook through all the key strategic decisions since its launch, you are the right person to testify before Congress about those decisions and the Facebook business model."
“The Committee intends to hold a hearing in the near future. The hearing will examine the harvesting and sale of personal information from more than 50 million Facebook users, potentially without their notice or consent and in violation of Facebook policy. The hearing will also explore broader questions about Facebook’s policies at the time Facebook Platform was launched, today, and in the future regarding both Facebook’s use of user information and the access to user information Facebook provides to others," they continued.
