WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following joint statement calling on Facebook, Inc. co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before the committee. The senators’ request comes in the wake of reports that SCL Group-owned Cambridge Analytica obtained data on up to 50 million Facebook users. 

“During our time leading the Commerce Committee, several questions about Facebook’s responsibilities and obligations to users have arisen even as the company’s reach and importance have grown. As a result, we have decided to ask Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before our committee. On a bipartisan basis, we believe Mr. Zuckerberg’s testimony is necessary to gain a better understanding of how the company plans to restore lost trust, safeguard users’ data, and end a troubling series of belated responses to serious problems. We appreciate the efforts Facebook and its employees have already made to assist our committee and will work with them to find a suitable date for Mr. Zuckerberg to testify in the coming weeks.”

On Thursday, March 22, Facebook employees privately briefed Commerce Committee staff on the most recent controversy. Facebook has not yet submitted written information due by March 29. The Senate Commerce Committee exercises jurisdiction over federal law and policies relating the internet, consumer protection, data security, and privacy,including the consumer protection activities of the Federal Trade Commission.