Zuckerberg passes Senate test, but his notes get scraped
Facebook’s CEO stayed cool to the point of seeming robotic as politicians waded into unfamiliar waters to get answers about data mining. A media photog, meanwhile, snapped his crib sheet.
Do members of Congress understand technology enough to ask the right questions?
That’s what many are wondering after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s first day testifying on Capitol Hill. After yesterday’s appearance before the Senate, he will answer questions from the House of Representatives today.
Early analysis seems to be favorable for Zuckerberg’s performance, with Facebook’s stock price rebounding and pundits giving him a passing grade.
Most who stand before the Senate Judiciary Committee are prepared to defend something. Republicans and Democrats alike prefer to ask questions to which they already know the answers, daring witnesses to challenge their carefully considered take on the issue at hand. They also prefer to ask questions that form a narrative; it is the job of a witness to either confirm that narrative, or push back convincingly.
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