CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Congress on Wednesday that Facebook isn’t a media company even though it hosts and produces content.
“I consider us to be a technology company because the primary thing that we do is have engineers who write code and build product and services for other people,” Zuckerberg said during his second day of testimony on Capitol Hill.
Zuckerberg spoke before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. (Watch the live stream of Zuckerberg’s second testimony here.)
The question of whether Facebook is a media company is becoming increasingly important, as issues over user data privacy and security come to light. The company is facing questions following reports that research firm Cambridge Analytica improperly gained access to the personal data of as many as 87 million Facebook users.
If Facebook were designated as a media company, it would face strict advertising regulations that govern television, print and other media types. Zuckerberg did not say Facebook was a media company but did say it was responsible for what is posted on its platforms.
“We do pay to help produce content,” Zuckerberg said. “We build enterprise software. We build planes to help connect people, but I don’t consider ourselves to be an aerospace company.”
“When people ask if we’re a media company what I heard is, ‘Do we have a responsibility for the content that people share on Facebook,’ and I believe the answer to that question is yes,” Zuckerberg said.
Zuckerberg’s prepared remarks for Wednesday’s hearing were released Monday.
He already faced some tough questions — though arguably some softballs as well — on user privacy, foreign meddling on the site and abuse of social media tools on Tuesday during a joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees.
You can read CNBC’s coverage of that hearing at the links below:
