Five times Mark Zuckerberg apologised publicly

Over the years, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has not just steered Facebook (now Meta) through massive growth, but he’s also navigated scandals, lawsuits, and global backlash.

From taking responsibility for privacy breaches to apologising over child safety concerns, the tech billionaire has found himself on the defensive multiple times.

Here are five public apologies that shaped both his public image and Meta’s direction.

Zuckerberg’s apology over the Cambridge Analytica data scandal (2018)

In what became one of the most infamous privacy scandals in tech history, Facebook in 2018 admitted that personal data from over 50 million users had been improperly accessed by British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

The firm allegedly used the data to influence elections, including Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Amid global outrage, Zuckerberg broke his silence in a Facebook post. He admitted Facebook had "made mistakes" and called it a "breach of trust."

“We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t, then we don’t deserve to serve you,” Zuckerberg noted.

This marked a pivotal moment that forced Facebook into years of regulatory scrutiny and changed the way the public viewed online privacy.

Zuckerberg admits responsibility for data misuse (2018)

Just a month after the initial fallout, Zuckerberg faced the US Congress in a high-stakes hearing. In his prepared testimony, he doubled down on accountability, saying:

“We didn’t take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that was a big mistake. It was my mistake, and I’m sorry. I started Facebook, I run it, and I’m responsible for what happens here.”

He addressed not just data misuse but also fake news, foreign interference in elections, and hate speech.

Apologising to grieving parents over child safety (2024)

In January 2024, during a highly emotional Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child exploitation, Zuckerberg was directly confronted by parents who blamed Instagram for their children’s mental health struggles, including suicide.

Senator Josh Hawley pushed Zuckerberg to speak directly to the grieving parents. The Meta CEO turned to them and said:

“I’m sorry for everything you’ve all gone through. It’s terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered.”

Meta CEO’s regret over COVID content censorship (2024)

In a rare move, Zuckerberg expressed regret over Meta’s content moderation decisions during the pandemic and ahead of the 2020 US election.

He told a House committee that Facebook and Instagram removed content, including satire and legitimate posts, due to pressure from the Biden administration.

He also admitted to “demoting” stories about Hunter Biden based on FBI warnings that later turned out to be inaccurate.

This apology sparked a new debate over freedom of expression, government influence on tech platforms, and Meta’s role in political discourse.

“I’m done apologising”

In a surprising twist, in September 2024, Zuckerberg declared he was done saying sorry. Speaking at a live event in San Francisco, he reflected on the last two decades:

“Some of the things they were asserting that we were responsible for — I don’t actually think we were.”

He acknowledged that his “biggest mistake” was taking too much responsibility for political and societal issues outside Meta’s control.

While not a traditional apology, it was a candid admission of regret, a clear sign that the CEO who once absorbed blame to protect his company was rethinking that approach.