After the recent report about Cambridge Analytica misusing the Facebook data of 87 million users exploded across the world headlines, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been under a huge cloud of skepticism! Over two days, he faced 100 lawmakers and faced a barrage of about 600 questions relating to intentional censoring, meddling by foreign entities in the American democratic process, and more. Here are some memes and highlights:
Zuckerberg is known to wear only tees and hoodies. For the occasion he shed his informal attire to don a proper suit, with what is being called the ‘Facebook blue’ tie; something commentators called 'strategic and optically effective'!
Before this, Zuckerberg had spent a lot of time in what is being called his ‘apology tour’ visiting lawmakers to admit the fault of his company and to explain how such issues would not occur in the future. Apparently, he is good at apologizing and does it a lot!
The fact that he used a booster cushion for his chair came in for a lot of ribbing as well; starting a hashtag of its own #BoosterSeat.
Privacy was one the issues that he needed to answer a lot of questions about. It is clear that Zuckerberg and his company has played fast and loose with the privacy of other people; acted in a cavalier way solely for profit.
Facebook users subject themselves to a huge amount of surveillance without being aware of it. In fact, it is likely that even Facebook doesn’t have the kind of information and control that it should, over third-party operators and their actions. As such, Zuckerberg had to field a lot of very uncomfortable questions regarding the issue.
Zuckerberg was also grilled on other issues such as why Facebook in general and he in particular were not doing enough to stop hate speech, which has actually incited violence in many cases. With many likening him and his company to a foreign agent, many people were of the view that the founder of Facebook held up well under the onslaught of 10 hours of questioning. Others thought differently; this one being an obvious reference to the FB apps that promise to make us younger/older/more glamorous!
Late-show host Stephen Colbert joked about the fact that many people in the room were older people who understood little about the technical details or the ramifications of what was being discussed. Many of the questions and comments from the lawmakers seemed to suggest that he was right. Some of the tweeple were of the view that congressional interns should have been allowed to ask questions; that they would have been much more effective.
In spite of being wildly successful and among the richest young men in the world, Zuckerberg is not very popular nor is he known for his charm. Small wonder then, that people seemed to think it hilarious to liken him to a cyborg somewhat divorced from actual human reality.
At the time he started it, Zuckerberg could not possibly have envisaged how huge Facebook would become. There is now a strong perception that Facebook has helped install Donald Trump in the White House, possibly with the help of arch-enemy Russia.
While weighty issues were being discussed in the House, all some people could think of was that Zuckerberg seemed to have microbangs; a haircut that seemed be given to him by his mom! Quite an irony!
A recurrent theme of many tweets was the startling similarity between this fictional character and Zuckerberg. The recurring theme of the hearing was greater regulation of Facebook and the need to subject its working to greater scrutiny in times to come.
Some could not help pointing out that Zuckerberg looked very tense and uncomfortable on the hot seat; rather different from his other pictures. In other words, the same as us plebians!
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