A digital gangster destroying democracy: the damning verdict on Facebook

Parliament's report into fake news raises many questions, but will the government act?

Facebook is an out-of-control train wreck that is destroying democracy and must be brought under control. The final report of parliament's inquiry into fake news and disinformation does not use this language, precisely, but it is, nonetheless, the report's central message. And the language it does use is no less damning.

Facebook behaves like a "digital gangster". It considers itself to be "ahead of and beyond the law". It "misled" parliament. It gave statements that were "not true". Its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has treated British lawmakers with "contempt". It has pursued a "deliberate" strategy to deceive parliament.