Technology

Posted on July 19, 2018 by staff

Zuckerberg: ‘If anyone should be fired it should be me’

Technology

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has admitted that the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal was ultimately his fault.

In an interview with Recode, the 34-year-old recognised the issues with the platform, including its approach to the privacy of personal data.

When asked if anyone should be fired over the scandal, which potentially compromised the accounts of tens of millions of Facebook users’, Zuckerberg said: “I designed the platform, so if someone’s going to get fired for this, it should be me.”

When asked if he would fire himself, Zuckerberg said “Not on this podcast right now.”

The CEO, whose net worth is estimated at $77.6 billion, also said that its approach to ‘fake news’ would remain open-minded.

When asked about Facebook users who post content which is untrue, Zuckerberg gave the example of Holocaust deniers who post content on the platform.

“I find that deeply offensive,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, I don’t believe that our platform should take that down because I think there are things that different people get wrong.

“If you’re not trying to organise harm against someone, or attacking someone, then you can put up that content on your page, even if people might disagree with it or find it offensive.”

Since making the comment, which has been met with public criticism, Zuckerberg has clarified his statement, adding: “I personally find Holocaust denial deeply offensive, and I absolutely didn’t intend to defend the intent of people who deny that.”