Zuckerberg's testimony on Cambridge Analytica could backfire on Congress

As idiosyncratic billionaire Zuckerberg tried to head off contentious confrontations before cameras — and perhaps save his own job as chairman and CEO of the social media giant — top political hands were quietly urging lawmakers to stay focused. These officials should not to heed their impulses that may drive the hearings into circus-caliber theatrics, they argued. There were few guarantees that lawmakers would control their impulses. After all, a video of a lawmaker aggressively scolding the Facebook chief would do very well on Facebook itself, and the activist base in both political camps tends to reward bravado over measured discourse.

That draw of drama — and the fundraising potential that follows — has top aides in both parties skittish. It is one of the few sentiments that has unified the professional staffs from both parties ahead of hearings that will be must-watch for activists, investors and the White House. There are very serious questions Facebook officials need to answer, especially as they pertain to what comes next for the social media leader, the extent to which its users’ data may be widely disseminated and the potential for Russia to, yet again, use that information to tailor political mayhem.