The European Union has given Facebook two weeks to answer questions raised by the scandal over the privacy of data collected from the social networking site, while British MPs insisted on obtaining clarifications from its president, Mark Zuckerberg.
European Commission Commissioner for Legal Affairs Vera Gorova asked in a letter to Cheryl Sandberg, chief executive of Facebook, about the steps the company intends to take to prevent a similar scandal in the future.
"I would be grateful for an answer within the next two weeks," she said, quoting excerpts from the letter.
Gurova asked five questions: "Have any of the EU citizens' data been affected by the recent scandal?" "If that happens, what is the way you intend to inform the authorities and users about it?"
Gorova asked whether there was a need to tighten controls on social media so that they would become like the rules imposed on traditional media, although these sites would change their approach to transparency towards users and regulators.
On the other hand, British lawmakers on Tuesday renewed their request to meet the president of Facebook personally against the background of the scandal involving the use of data of nearly 50 million users in political campaigns.
"The seriousness of the accusations means that it is appropriate that Zuckerberg give himself an explanation," said Damien Collins, chairman of the Digital, Cultural and Information Committee of the House of Commons.
In a letter published by the British committee on Tuesday, Facebook presented a technology director, Mike Shropfer, or product development manager Chris Cox, to London next month to provide answers.
"We would be very happy to invite Mr. Cox to present evidence, but we still want to hear Mr. Zuckerberg as well," Collins said Tuesday.
He pointed out that the committee is seeking clarification from Facebook on this matter, stressing "If it is not linked to provide us with evidence, we are happy to do so either by attending him personally or through video over the Internet if more appropriate."
Facebook insists it was not aware that the data taken from the site was used by the British company Cambridge Analateka, which worked for the campaign to elect US President Donald Trump and others.
But then Facebook rules allowed the application of an academic researcher developed by about 270,000 people, with data from tens of millions of friends.
Rebecca Stimson, head of public policy at Facebook in Britain, said the company is working with regulators from around the world to determine how many people are affected in each country.
He also called on European Parliament President Antonio Taiani, founder of Facebook, to explain to European lawmakers.
