META Meta Platforms Inc

By Natalia Drozdiak 

BRUSSELS -- Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has agreed to visit Brussels to meet with top European lawmakers to discuss the social network's handling of its users' personal information, both the European Parliament and the company said Wednesday.

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said the parliament would organize a hearing to give lawmakers the opportunity to carry out an in-depth analysis relating to the company's data-protection policies and its potential impact on elections in Europe. The hearing won't be open to the public, an EU official said.

Mr. Zuckerberg will meet with leaders of different political groups during his visit, which could take place as soon as next week, Mr. Tajani said.

In a statement, Facebook said it accepted the European Parliament's proposal to meet with parliament leaders. It added: "We... appreciate the opportunity for dialogue, to listen to their views and show the steps we are taking to better protect people's privacy."

A trip next week would coincide with the bloc's sweeping new privacy laws, which enter into force next Friday, May 25. Facebook has said it would implement those new privacy controls world-wide.

European lawmakers have been urging Mr. Zuckerberg to testify in Brussels about recent revelations that the social network allowed personal information of as many as 87 million users to be obtained by data-analytics firm Cambridge Analytica. They stepped up their calls after he spoke before U.S. lawmakers in mid-April.

--Valentina Pop contributed to this article.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 16, 2018 12:03 ET (16:03 GMT)

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024