Facebook may be one of the world’s largest social media companies, but its policies and philosophy on privacy stems largely from one individual: founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. That’s why, for over a decade, professor and privacy expert Michael Zimmer has tracked every single public comment Zuckerberg has made in an attempt to analyze his mindset and beliefs.

According to Zimmer, he believes Zuckerberg and Facebook have largely been a positive force in the world. However, he also said that the company has been “naïve” about the impact it has on the world, and that the company could do more to safeguard users’ data.

“The privacy concerns around Facebook, and the amount of data Meta collects across its platforms, are real and important for users to understand,” Zimmer told Sky News. “I don’t rush to suggest people delete their accounts, as there can be real benefits being on the platforms. But it’s important for users to explore the privacy settings available to understand how visible their content is, what kind of details are being collected and shared, and so on. Facebook has got better at giving users the ability to manage their privacy, but they could certainly do more.”

Zimmer also noted that Zuckerberg often conceals the faces of his children in photos he shares online, suggesting even he is concerned with the privacy implications of sharing data with Facebook. So while Zimmer doesn’t think users have to go so far as to delete their accounts, it’s also clear that being worried about data privacy isn’t misguided at all.

Recommended Resources

Choose what the experts use: award-winning cybersecurity you can trust and rely on.

Surf the web truly incognito. Try Bitdefender Premium VPN, the ultra-fast VPN that keeps your online identity and activities safe from hackers, ISPs and snoops.

System Mechanic 14 – Make your computer run like new. Winner of 200+ Editor’s Choice awards!