What Zuckerberg planned to say about Apple in US Senate hearing revealed
MARK Zuckerberg’s talking points were on full display during his five-hour testimony - revealing what he wanted to say in response to Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent criticisms of Facebook.
A PICTURE’S worth a thousand scripted words.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg left the talking points he used during a marathon US Senate hearing on Tuesday on full display during a break — and an Associated Press photographer snapped a picture.
“Founded Facebook. My decisions. I made mistakes. Big challenge but we’ve solved problems before. Going to solve this one,” the notes read.
According to the New York Post, the notes also included a section slapping back at comments made by Apple CEO Tim Cook, a fierce Facebook critic.
REVEALED: What is Mark Zuckerberg hiding?
The Apple chief was asked last month what he would do if he were confronted with the problems facing Facebook after the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
“I wouldn’t be in this situation,” Cook responded, infuriating Zuckerberg.
Cook’s comments didn’t come up at the Senate hearing — but Zuckerberg was armed with answers just in case they did.
“Lots of stories about apps misusing Apple data, never seen Apple notify people,” his notes said, under a section labelled “Tim Cook on biz model.”
“Important you hold everyone to the same standard.”
The senators peppered Zuckerberg, 33, with questions about an array of Facebook’s lengthy privacy policy and data, but didn’t always seem to know how to follow up Zuckerberg’s talk of algorithms and AI systems. So one member of the joint committee, average age 62, got to the point.
“I just don’t feel like we’re connecting,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Zuckerberg in hour four of the hearing. “Your user agreement sucks.”
This time, there was no flop sweat, perhaps because the senators spent most of the first of two days of hearings reading questions for Zuckerberg on privacy issues rather than attacking him as expected on broader matters such as Russia’s role in election meddling. It wasn’t as if senators could forget about that. Multiple investigations are probing the interference.
The talking points also addressed the myriad scandals confronting the social media giant and the recommended responses.
Under “Election integrity (Russia),” Zuckerberg’s notes read, “Too slow, making progress.” Under “Data safety,” the notes read, “Made mistakes, working hard to fix them.” Zuckerberg repeatedly told senators that unsatisfied Facebook members can adjust their privacy settings — or delete their accounts.
And under “Defend Facebook,” the notes advised the CEO that “If attacked,” he should respond: “Respectfully, I reject that. Not who we are.”
Twitter widely noted the apparent age or knowledge gap between Zuckerberg and the senators.
“Wrap it up, Grandpa Grassley,” tweeted one user to the Judiciary Committee chairman, who was deep into his first term in the Senate when Zuckerberg was born in 1984.
Some senators of a certain age used posters to illustrate their questions, such as Senator Patrick Leahy, who’s served in the Senate since 1975. He asked Zuckerberg about hate speech, in places like Myanmar.
“What’s happening in Myanmar is a terrible tragedy,” Zuckerberg answered.
“We all agree with that,” Leahy snapped.
The social network’s top boss used the crib sheets as he spent five hours answering questions about his firm’s privacy rules, its role in spreading “fake news” and Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.
Someone dressed as a Russian troll was in the audience as Zuckerberg testified, wearing a pointy blue-and-green wig.
Originally published as What Zuckerberg planned to say about Apple in US Senate hearing revealed
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