![Is selling Facebook data a matter of constitutional rights? - [Image by geralt / Pixaby]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/4/12/660x290/b_502x220x82/is-selling-facebook-data-a-matter-of-constitutional-rights-image-by-geraltpixaby_1934631.jpg "Is selling Facebook data a matter of constitutional rights? - [Image by geralt / Pixaby]")
According to the United States Constitution, members of the Senate and House Of Representatives are supposed to protect Americans against constitutional offenses. Last time I checked a company selling public information is not a constitutional offense. In fact, that is just part of doing business to try and make profits. Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive officer of Facebook was asked questions about selling public information. He was questioned about fake news and selling information. Congress has no business investigating this business practice and yet they still do.
Mark Zuckerberg's entire testimony was a sham. The only reason this court case is being pursued is so congressmen look like they are doing something about the public's outrage. They got voted into office and have to justify their constituent's votes. Congressmen should try doing their job and not be trying to get publicity for the upcoming bill to legislate social media. We do not need more legislation to control speech. We need elected officials to stand for the Constitution and defend it for their voters. Below are some examples of what Mark Zuckerberg was being asked during his testimony. Reports by the New York Times and CNN were used for information in this article.
The questions
“Senator Richard J.
Durbin, Democrat of Illinois zeroed in” by “asking Mr. Zuckerberg whether he would be comfortable sharing the name of the hotel he stayed in last night or if he would be comfortable sharing the names of the people he has messaged this week.” This was posted on the New York Times website. Mark stammered his answer, “No. I would not choose to do that publicly here." He would not publicly share his location due to his being famous.
This was an irrelevant question as no amendment was violated because shared information is automatically public knowledge. He did not share it so it remained a private matter. Congress should ask questions that matter, not just trying to make a point. The same article on the New York Times website had Senator Durbin stating, “I think that may be what this is all about.
Your right to privacy. The limits of your right to privacy. And how much you give away in modern America in the name of, quote, connecting people around the world.”
Senator Durbin is blaming Zuckerberg for people sharing their information. However, he does not force users to share anything. Facebook users share their information and they do so voluntarily and of their own free will. This all occurred during the Senate hearings on Tuesday (April 10). Yesterday (April 11), he faced the House of Representatives, where questioning was done in the same way. Mostly they focused on how Facebook plans to protect data from public sources.
According to CNN Tech website, “Representative Frank Pallone asked for a 'yes' or 'no' answer on whether Facebook would commit to changing its default settings to minimize data collection to the greatest extent possible.” What they failed to discuss is that default settings can be adjusted.
Mark Zuckerberg replied, “This is a complex issue that deserves more than a one-word answer.” Naturally, it does because Facebook makes money from advertising and would not want to minimize the amount of data collected.
Representative Pallone response was, “disappointing.” Once again, I ask what exactly does this have to do with the constitutional rights of any American? This representative wasted time and money by failing to ask the right questions.
Conclusion
Most of the elected representatives failed to do their job during these congressional hearings. They did not protect their constituents against constitutional violations. Instead, most of them asked irrelevant questions that just advanced their agendas.
This whole hearing was a waste of taxpayer's money. The elected officials need to figure out what they are doing on Capitol Hill. They need to protect this nation and the Constitution of the United States. Nothing more, nothing less.
If a congressman does not meet these standards then they have no business being on Capitol Hill. The American public needs to stand up and elect congressmen that will protect the nation and the Constitution. America does not collapse without these congressmen. We have a big decision coming this November in the mid-term elections. We vote for the candidate that upholds American values of freedom, life, liberty, and justice.
