Facebook execs to get ‘candid’ about ‘hard questions’ in live interviews

Facebook executives are gearing up to “push [themselves] toward even greater transparency” in a series of live interviews with digital news site Axios.

As part of the company’s Hard Questions series — heretofore existing only in the form of blog posts — the company is opening up to reporters and editors from multiple news outlets and independent groups.

At least in the case of Axios, Facebook says that the reporters will “fully control the questions and resulting coverage”.

The company says that it looks to take on the “most crucial topics in social media” — including terrorism, hate speech, and Russian propaganda.

The first interview will see Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg interviewed by Axios co-founder Mike Allen. Facebook describes the interview as “wide-ranging”, but Axios has drawn attention to “Russia’s use of the tech giant in its influence campaign during the 2016 election”.

The episode will air Thursday at 3pm in South Africa, and will be available to watch here and on Facebook Live.