Why Mark Zuckerberg's Senate hearing could mean little for Facebook's privacy reform

Facebook's lobbying influence — along with Mark Zuckerberg’s expected mea culpa — may be enough, privacy experts say, to blunt any talk of significant consumer privacy regulations meant to reign in Facebook and other tech giants, regardless of the angry bluster Zuckerberg endures on Capitol Hill both April 10 and 11. “I think it will be really interesting whether Republicans give Facebook a pass given Zuckerberg’s prostrate apology stance — ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry. We won’t do it again,’” said Jonathan Taplin, author of Move Fast Break Things: How Facebook, Google, and Amazon Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy. “I have a feeling a lot of Republicans who hate regulation of any kind will give him a pass,” and Democrats on the committee “will probably try to hold his feet to the fire, but I’m not positive that will be enough.”