Facebook’s Zuckerberg, Accused of Lying, Withstands a Washington ‘Beating’ - The New York Times
▻https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/23/technology/facebook-zuckerberg-libra-congress.html
Committee members questioned whether Facebook executives can be taken at their word.
Representative Nydia M. Velázquez, a Democrat from New York, pointed to Facebook’s promise in its acquisition of WhatsApp in 2014 to keep the messaging app separate from the main Facebook platform. A few years later, Mr. Zuckerberg announced it would merge data between the two apps.
“Do you understand why this record makes us concerned with Facebook entering the cryptocurrency space? Have you learned that you should not lie?” Ms. Velázquez said.
“Congresswoman, I would disagree with the characterization,” he said before getting cut off by further questions.
Representatives homed in on issues of national security, and the ways that bad actors have used cryptocurrencies to pursue illicit activity.
“You’re creating a whole new currency, which could be anonymous, that could create a whole new threat to Americans and national security, which is a huge concern,” said Representative Carolyn Maloney, Democrat of New York.
Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, clashed with Mr. Zuckerberg on Facebook’s desire not to fact-check political campaign advertising.
Ms. Tlaib said the practice had resulted in widespread hate-mongering and a flurry of false information about her, personally. “It is hate speech, it’s hate, and it’s leading to violence and death threats in my office,” she said.
Il y a évidemment l’argument clé : « si on ne le fait pas, les Chinois vont le faire ». Il a déjà servi pas mal, par exemple pour les OGM.
“American innovation is on trial today in this hearing,” Mr. McHenry said.
Mr. Zuckerberg spoke to that point, saying if American regulators managed to stop Libra, it would help countries like China develop their own cryptocurrency projects — efforts that could hurt the United States and the dominant role of the dollar.
“While we debate these issues, the rest of the world isn’t waiting,” Mr. Zuckerberg said. “If America doesn’t innovate, our financial leadership isn’t guaranteed.”