Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has taken personal responsibility for scandal over misuse of user data prior to his statement before US Congress. Facebook did not perceive its responsibility in an appropriate form. "This was my fault, and I am sorry," says Zuckerberg, according to a prepared opinion for hearing.

As founder and head of Facebook, "I am responsible for what is happening here," writes 33-year-old. His company has not done enough to abuse online networking tools it provides. This applies to spread of false news and hatred rhetoric, foreign interference in elections and access to user data.

According to Zuckerberg, up to 146 million people could have received information from a Russian agency that would have organised large portions of Russia's interference in US election in 2016. Facebook found 470 accounts and pages related to so-called Federal news agency, said Zuckerberg. 126 million people might have been displayed via Facebook content of agency, 20 million more probably via Instagram. This agency, which once acted under name of Agency for Internet Research and is commonly referred to as Trollfabrik, is said to have produced almost 80,000 Facebook posts over course of two years. It is located in St. Petersburg.

Zuckerberg praised improvement: "It will take some time to deal with all changes that we need to make, but I am committed to goal of getting it." "Substantial investments in safety" would be carried out, which could also affect "profitability in near future". The Facebook boss had already apologized several times before and emphasized his personal responsibility.

Statements in Senate and House of Representatives

The scandal is about data of up to 87 million users, which British data analysis firm Cambridge Analytica has used illegally to evaluate and use it for election campaign of today's US president Donald Trump. Facebook is under political, legal and economic pressure because of scandal.

In addition, company has been criticized in US for a long time because network was heavily used during election campaign to disseminate false information. Much of this content is to be produced in Russia.

Zuckerberg is first heard this Tuesday at a joint meeting of Senate Committees on justice and trade. On Wednesday he will be interrogated by Trade committee of House of Representatives. It is his first such appearance before US Congress. The Facebook boss fights no less than reputation and future of his group, whose business model is based on collection of data about its users.

Date Of Update: 10 April 2018, 12:03