Mark Zuckerberg: Mass Calls to #DeleteFacebook Are ‘Not Good’, but Haven’t Reached ‘Meaningful Number’

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has claimed posts under the popular #deletefacebook hashtag, which are encouraging users to withdraw from the social network, are “not good,” but added that deletions have not reached a “meaningful number.”

“I don’t think we’ve seen a meaningful number of people act on that,” declared Zuckerberg. “But, you know, it’s not good.”

“I think it’s a clear signal that this is a major trust issue for people, and I understand that,” he continued. “And whether people delete their app over it or just don’t feel good about using Facebook, that’s a big issue that I think we have a responsibility to rectify.”

Hmmm Delete Facebook Account? #DeleteFacebook

— Andrew Darwis (@adarwis) March 22, 2018

My son forgot his password. To reset it, Facebook asked so many questions about his friends you'd think Mark Zuckerberg was his grandmother or the Gestapo. I told him #DeleteFacebook.

— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) March 22, 2018

https://twitter.com/dcdrmn/status/976630893044469760

Take back control of your data #DeleteFacebook #Facebook pic.twitter.com/82EHORHrev

— Lawrence Jones MBE (@Lawrence_Jones) March 22, 2018

Following the Facebook user data controversy, even Brian Acton, the co-founder of WhatsApp, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014, expressed his support for the #DeleteFacebook hashtag.

It is time. #deletefacebook

— Brian Acton (@brianacton) March 20, 2018

Twitter users and celebrities threatened to boycott the company and delete their accounts in response to allegations of user data mishandling this week, which one former employee claimed was “horrifying” and routine at Facebook.

3,000 advertisers in the United Kingdom have also threatened to leave Facebook, while Facebook investors have filed a lawsuit against the company over their failure to protect user data which caused shares to drop.

“We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you,” commented Zuckerberg following the controversy. “This was a major breach of trust, and I’m really sorry that this happened. We have a basic responsibility to protect peoples’ data.”