Mark Zuckerberg: My data was shared by Cambridge Analytica

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook chief executive, has told US lawmakers that he was among the 87 million users of the platform whose data was improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica, a consultancy firm.

Appearing before the lawmakers on Wednesday, Zuckerberg denied the allegation that users do not have enough control of their data on Facebook.

The 33-year-old told the house committee on energy and commerce that “every time someone chooses to share something on Facebook, there is a control, right there. Not buried in the settings somewhere, but right there”.

Zuckerberg’s admission that his own data was exposed to Cambridge Analytica underscores the difficulty Facebook has in persuading lawmakers that users can safeguard their own information if they carefully manage their personal settings.

It also faults his stances that further legislation governing Facebook’s use of data is unnecessary.

“How can consumers have control over their data when Facebook does not have control over the data?” asked Frank Pallone, a representative of New Jersey.

However, Zuckerberg repeatedly defended the company’s privacy practices, saying users have control over their own data and decide what to share.

When asked if his data had been improperly used he replied “yes” and gave no further details.

The latest estimate of affected users is up to 87 million.

The data was improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica by an academic, who gathered data on users and their friends through a questionnaire app on Facebook

The hearing followed a five-hour questioning by US senators on Tuesday, in which Zuckerberg made no further promises to support new legislation or change how the social network does business.