Senate Democrat Suggests Zuckerberg Testimony on User Audio Was Incomplete

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony in 2018 appears to be incomplete concerning the platform’s handling of user audio data, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., wrote Zuckerberg Thursday. During the hearing, Zuckerberg offered an “emphatic” no when asked “if Facebook uses audio obtained from mobile devices to enrich personal information about its users,” Peters said. Recent reports suggest the platform asked third parties to analyze and transcribe Facebook user audio data, Peters said. The senator noted Zuckerberg “later clarified” in writing last year that Facebook “may, in certain circumstances, access audio from users who opted-in.” He asked the company for specifics about audio collection and use. Zuckerberg's statements on the topic were true during testimony and remain true, a company spokesperson said Thursday: "It has always been the case that Facebook only accesses your microphone if you have given our app permission and if you are actively using a specific feature that requires audio. It has also always been true that Facebook does not use your phone’s microphone to inform ads or to change what you see in News Feed.”