Most Facebook users have no idea that the social network giant has a D.C. office full of lobbyists and policy wonks. But that office will be staging a Congress staffers-only briefing this week to address issues of — you guessed it — user privacy.
Like any major corporation that plays footsie with public and private data, large amounts of money, mergers and acquisitions, and other hallmarks of big business, Facebook must stay abreast of policy changes and try to influence legislators in its favor.
To help with the launch of its “new suite of simpler and easier-to-use privacy tools,” Facebook is inviting House and Senate staff to the Capitol Visitors Center to “learn about what these tools mean for your constituents and the future of sharing online.” The briefing will take place on Thursday, May 27 at 4 p.m. ET and will include a Q&A.
This announcement comes in the wake of what can only be described as a “hoopla” around Facebook and privacy. One senator went as far as penning a letter to the FTC, urging them to create privacy guidelines for Facebook and other social networking sites.
Here’s Kara Swisher of All Things D on a tour of Facebook’s D.C. office back in November 2009, when Facebook’s primary reason for being in D.C. was “privacy, privacy, privacy.”
While we wait to hear back from Facebook reps on the specific talking points and goals for this briefing, let us know what you think Facebook should say to Congress representatives about privacy and how much you think Washington needs to be involved in the matter.
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