MP: It's 'Absolutely Astonishing' Zuckerberg Won't Testify

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has declined an invitation to testify in front of Britain's parliament after a series of privacy scandals for the social media site, and one member of parliament is calling his refusal "absolutely astonishing." Damian Collins, chair of the parliamentary committee looking into fake news and its effect on democracy in the UK, said it's time for Zuckerberg to answer "questions of fundamental importance and concern to his users, as well as to this inquiry." "I would certainly urge him to think again if he has any care for people that use his company’s services," Collins said, per the Guardian. This is the third time Zuckerberg has been invited to talk to the committee, but he has so far always sent deputies instead of appearing himself.

Meanwhile, CNN's Dylan Byers reports that Zuckerberg will testify before Congress in the US, citing sources who say "Facebook is currently planning the strategy for his testimony" and that it will likely take place "within a matter of weeks." Zuckerberg came to the decision due to the intense pressure on him in the face of the Cambridge Analytica situation and other privacy controversies, the sources say. Bloomberg reports that Zuckerberg is expected to testify before the US House Energy and Commerce Committee (and that he'll be expected to appear before other committees as well); a spokesperson for the committee says a day and time are still being finalized. Facebook has not confirmed the reports, per Axios. As the Guardian puts it, already-upset members of parliament "are likely to take a still dimmer view of [Zuck's] decision if he decides to testify before Congress in the US." (More Mark Zuckerberg stories.)