Top Facebook Exec Out Over Data Misuse

Elliot Schrage, who oversaw marketing, communications and public policy for Facebook,  has resigned. Schrage devised the company’s response to Russian meddling in the presidential election and the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal, Both critics and Facebook insiders have observed that the company was unprepared for the problems that emerged during the 2016 election, including false political news that spread virally and the exploitation of its platform by Russian operatives. After the election, Schrage dismissed any impact from fake news on Facebook on the election results. CEO Mark Zuckerberg initially echoed that line, but later was forced to apologize. Jan Koum, a board member and founder of WhatsApp, recently left the company after years of controversies with management over data privacy. In response to those controversies Schrage started a blog called Hard Questions, in which Facebook executives explained their decision-making. He described it as an effort at greater transparency. Schrage will head the search for his replacement.