How Washington can rein in Facebook with Zuckerberg on offense

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 10: Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill April 10, 2018 in Washington, DC. Zuckerberg, 33, was called to testify after it was reported that 87 million Facebook users had their personal information harvested by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm linked to the Trump campaign. Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images) == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

US lawmakers and privacy advocates have spent the last year hammering Facebook Inc to change its behaviour, prompting billionaire chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg to reveal his vision for government oversight of the Internet. 

Yet Zuckerberg’s weekend plea for regulation may not align with what Washington is willing – and able – to do, as critics call for actions that could go as far as breaking up the company.