Iranian judge summons Facebook CEO for breach of privacy

A conservative Iranian court opened a case against instant messaging services WhatsApp and Instagram while also summoning Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over complaints of privacy violation, state news agency ISNA reported.

The case underscores the growing struggle between moderate Iranian president Hassan Rouhani's drive to increase Internet freedoms and demands by the conservative judiciary for tighter controls. The Iranian court in the southern province of Fars opened the cases against the social networks after citizens complained of breaches of privacy.

"According to the court's ruling, the Zionist director of the company of Facebook, or his official attorney must appear in court to defend himself and pay for possible losses," said Ruhollah Momen-Nasab, an Iranian Internet official, according to state news agency ISNA, referring to Zuckerberg's Jewish background. Zuckerberg, whose company owns WhatsApp and Instagram, is unlikely to heed the summons.