Facebook’s chief Mark Zuckerberg has agreed to appear before the European Parliament at a closed-door meeting as early as next week, announced European Parliament President Antonio Tajani.
“The founder and CEO of Facebook has accepted our invitation and will be in Brussels as soon as possible, hopefully already next week, to meet the leaders of the political groups and the Chair and the Rapporteur of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE),” said Tajani on May 16.
“Our citizens deserve a full and detailed explanation. I welcome Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to appear in person before the representatives of 500 million Europeans. It is a step in the right direction towards restoring confidence.”
According to Tajani, parliament’s priority is to ensure the proper functioning of the digital market, with a high level of protection for personal data, effective rules on copyright and the protection of consumer rights. Web giants must be responsible for the content they publish, including blatantly false news and illegal content.
Commenting on the Facebook CEO’s planned visit to the European Parliament, the co-chair of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group, Syed Kamall, said the meeting should be about providing real answers and educating the public. “But I am concerned that some in the parliament will want to turn this issue into a witch hunt of large companies, which doesn’t benefit anyone,” he warned.
