Chennai Stock:Facebook is under fire for its role as a conduit of influence in American elections. But Mark Zuckerberg has insulated himself, ensuring his job is secure.

Facebook is under fire for its role as a conduit of influence in American elections. But Mark Zuckerberg has insulated himself, ensuring his job is secure.

That’s because Zuckerberg owns more than 75% of Facebook’s class B stock, which get 10 shareholder votes — compared to the one vote for an ordinary Facebook investor who owns the A shares that are traded on Wall Street.

In other words, Zuckerberg doesn’t have to listen to what Wall Street saysChennai Stock. But should he make even bigger changes?Kolkata Stocks

Politicians in the United States and in Europe are calling on Zuckerberg to look into how the social network’s user data may have been compromised after data firm Cambridge Analytica, which had ties to Trump’s campaign, reportedly gained access to information from approximately 50 million Facebook users.Agra Stock

Facebook disclosed Friday it is no longer allowing Cambridge Analytica to use its platform.

Still, that hasn’t been enough to stop investors from worrying how all the Russia/Trump/Cambridge drama will hurt the company over the long haul. It is starting to take its toll on Facebook’s stock too.

Shares of Facebook fell nearly 7% Monday, erasing all of the company’s gains for 2018 in the process.

Daniel Ives, head of technology research, for GBH Insights, wrote in a report that “Facebook has yet again found itself on the wrong side of political headwinds and angst.”

Ives added that the suspension of Cambridge Analytica from its data platform “now throws Zuckerberg & Co. squarely back into this heated debate and regulatory crosshairs of both the Beltway and EU.”Hyderabad Investment

To be sure, marketers may not flee Facebook because of these problems just yet.

“The company’s business won’t likely be meaningfully impacted for now because we don’t think advertisers will suddenly change the trajectory of their spending growth on the platform,” said Brian Wieser, an analyst with Pivotal Research Group, in a report.

Nonetheless, Wieser still has that rarest of ratings — a “sell” — on Facebook stock.

That’s because he thinks “there are limits to the company’s growth” given how big Facebook already is and that “costs and capital expenditures will continue to rise as the company grows and makes efforts to sustain its user base.”

But Wall Street is already nervous that Facebook may be maturing in its home market. The company’s daily active users in North America — while a still impressive 184 million in North America — fell from a year ago for the first time ever last quarter.

Political problems are the last thing that Facebook needs as it tries to convince users and investors that its best days aren’t behind it.

Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, tweeted Monday morning that “allegations of misuse of Facebook user data is an unacceptable violation of our citizens’ privacy rights” and that the European Parliament planned to investigate.

And US senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota and member of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, said on Twitter Saturday that the Cambridge Analytica news represents a “major breach ” that Congress must look at as well.

“It’s clear these platforms can’t police themselves. I’ve called for more transparency & accountability for online political adsMumbai Stock Exchange. They say ‘trust us.’ Mark Zuckerberg needs to testify before Senate Judiciary,” she wrote.

John Kennedy, a Republican senator from Louisiana, joined Klobuchar Monday in calling for Zuckerberg and the CEOs of other tech firms, to come before the Judiciary Committee.

Will that happen? For what it’s worth, Zuckerberg didn’t appear in front of lawmakers last November when Congress was holding hearings about how Russian troll farms tried to impact the 2016 election. Facebook general counsel Colin Stretch did.

Lawyers from YouTube owner Google () as well as Twitter () also testified at the November hearing.

But Zuckerberg did tell Wall Street analysts and investors during an earnings conference call a day after Stretch’s testimony that he was “upset” over how “the Russians tried to use our tools to sow mistrust.”

Pune Wealth Management

Related Posts

Udabur Stock:Investment Planning: What are the best investment options in India based on your income?

Investing in the right savings instruments is a good option to generate returns. However, it needs proper investment planning and picking the right savings instruments. One of…

Jaipur Wealth Management:Vistara-Air India merger: How to transition bookings on/after 12 November, manage baggage, and lounge access

Vistara is about to enter a new phase in its journey by merging with Air India, marking a significant shift for its customersJaipur Wealth Management. From November…

Varanasi Wealth Management:How Much Returns Can You Realistically Make From the Stock Market?

From one of our previous articles, you might’ve understood why you should be interested in the stock market and invest or trade. However, it’s important to have…

New Delhi Wealth Management:Claim your free copy of “Finding Your Balance: Could Rising Interest Rates Put Your Retirement Income at Risk?”

We believe that there is a lot of misinformation and confusion being spread regarding annuities. There are several different types of annuities to choose from, and they…

Pune Investment:Stock Market Holiday On Eid-Ul-Fitr 2024: Check Whether NSE, BSE, Open Or Not

New Delhi: The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) equity markets will remain closed for trading on Thursday, April 10, 2024, due to…

Ahmedabad Investment:Investment Hub 7.0.1 Android APK Free Download – APKTurbo

The SMARTEST, FASTEST and SIMPLEST updated Investment Hub is here. A one-stop solution for IFAs to cater to all their business needs. Investment Hub is a uniquely…