Thread by @TBIJ

EXCLUSIVE: Mark Zuckerberg’s secret discussions with @MattHancock

After a two-year battle, today we can finally reveal what was said at a behind-closed-doors meeting between the @Facebook CEO and former head of @DCMS

thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2020-1…

Kicking it off, Zuckerberg apparently threatening to pull Facebook’s investment from the UK, which Hancock responded to with an olive branch: shifting from “threatening regulation” to offering Facebook a chance to collaborate on “proportionate and innovation-friendly” legislation

Determined for "a new beginning" for the government's relationship with social media platforms, Hancock made clear he sought “increased dialogue” with Zuckerberg, in order to show he has support from Facebook at “the highest level”

After intervention by @LeighDay_Law and @moncktonlaw, instructed by the Bureau, the government finally released the minutes last night

The meeting took place at a technology conference in Paris in May 2018, days after Hancock publicly denounced Zuckerberg’s failure to appear in front of MPs. Our reporter @MattChapmanUK requested the notes in November 2018 and received them two years later

@ICOnews found that @DCMS breached the Freedom of Information Act… twice

@ICOnews also criticised @DCMS for claiming that making the notes public would lead to future discussions “taking place ‘off the record’ and not recorded for fear of potential disclosure”.

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