France’s Macron takes on Zuckerberg in tech push

ANGELA CHARLTON | SYLVIE CORBET
INTERNATIONAL.- French President Emmanuel Macron took on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other internet giants Wednesday at a Paris meeting to discuss personal data protection and taxes as France pushes for tougher European regulations.

Macron welcomed Zuckerberg and the leaders of dozens of other tech companies, including Microsoft, Uber, and IBM, at a “Tech for Good” conference meant to address how they could use their global influence for the public good.

The meeting came as Facebook, Google and other online giants are increasingly seen by the public as predators that abuse personal data, avoid taxes and stifle competition. Macron ahead of their meeting at the Elysee palace said he planned to keep asking Zuckerberg to make"commitments".

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“France defends the idea of tough regulations” such as a 3 percent digital tax on tech companies’ gross revenue in the European Union, Macron said, adding that it’s “crucial” that internet giants pay taxes. He also wants new regulations to combat extremist propaganda online and cyber-bullying.

Privacy was another issue Macron was raising with Zuckerberg and the other tech executives in one-on-one meetings and a mass lunch in the presidential palace with philanthropists and politicians. Zuckerberg came to Paris after facing tough questions Tuesday from European Union lawmakers in Brussels, where he apologized for the way the social network has been used to produce fake news and interfere in elections.

Facebook “didn’t take a broad enough view of our responsibilities,” he said, adding: “That was a mistake, and I’m sorry for it.” But Zuckerberg also frustrated the lawmakers as the testimony’s setup allowed him to respond to a list of questions as he sought fit. Macron sees himself as uniquely placed to both understand and influence the tech world.

France’s youngest president, Macron has championed startups and aggressively wooed technology investors.