DC AG argues Facebook’s Zuckerberg should be required to answer data privacy questions

Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine’s lawyers argued in a new court filing that Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg should be required to answer questions in a data privacy case. 

The city sued Facebook for allegedly misleading individuals about who can access their private data when they sign up for the platform, Reuters reported.

The allegations began in 2018 when a political consulting firm did not tell customers what information was collected on Facebook and how it was shared. 

In the Feb. 15 court filing, the lawyers said they should be allowed to “probe [Zuckerberg’s] and the company’s knowledge about Cambridge Analytica’s actions and his decision to act or, as the case was, fail to act upon learning about it,” according to Reuters. 

The court filing comes as D.C. alleges Facebook ignored a court order on Jan. 10 from the District of Columbia Superior Court that allowed lawyers to question Zuckerberg.

The lawyers say Facebook has not moved forward with solutions for how or when the deposition could occur and that they would be willing to go to Zuckerberg’s office “if he so chooses.”

Facebook argued against the order on Feb. 1, saying Zuckerberg doesn’t have any new information to offer in the case, Reuters noted.

The Hill has reached out to Facebook for comment.