British Parliament disappointed with Facebook’s responses to policy questions

A UK parliamentary committee has published Facebook’s answers to 39 questions on topics Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer did not fully address in a previous hearing. The Committee also finds the new answers insufficient.

Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee chair Damian Collins said it was disappointing that a company with Facebook’s financial capabilities chose not to provide full details and transparency on topics such as Cambridge Analytica, data collection and how much money Russia has spent on British advertisements. According to him, there are discrepancies between the testimony of chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer and that of Mark Zuckerberg.

In the reply letter, Rebecca Stimson, the head of Facebook’s communications department, says Mark Zuckerberg has no plans at this time to meet with the committee or travel to the UK. Collins previously indicated that he wanted to force Zuckerberg to appear before the committee via a formal order.

That requirement has now been watered down; the committee also says it is open to ask further questions to Zuckerberg via a video link. The committee will also submit new follow-up questions to Facebook in the coming days.