Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin) gaffed his way to meme status after grilling Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg about Donald Trump Jr.’s Twitter suspension, forcing the CEO to explain the platforms are, in fact, different.
“If I may ask a specific of you: it was reported that Donald Trump Jr. got taken down for a period of time… why did that happen?” the rep asked during a House antitrust hearing on Wednesday.
“Congressman, well first, to be clear, I think what you might be referring to happened on Twitter, so it’s hard for me to speak to that,” Zuckerberg replied politely, adding “but I could talk to our policies about this.”
Rep. Sensenbrenner: “It was reported that Donald Trump Jr. got taken down for a period of time… Why did that happen?”Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg: “… What you might be referring to happened on Twitter.” pic.twitter.com/YzmkylV3pY
The embarrassing exchange has prompted a wave of mockery online, with netizens observing that out-of-touch “lifer politicians” like Sensenbrenner – who has been in Congress since 1979 – have no place weighing in on technology they don’t understand.
Holy sh*t. Republican congressman Jim Sensenbrenner just asked *Facebook* CEO Mark Zuckerburg about Donald Trump Jr’s *Twitter* account restrictions. Can we please get the boomers all the way out of tech regulation committees??
Dude we gotta vote these lifer politicians out! Both parties !
These hearings are a complete waste of time because Congress is full of old boomers who not only don’t know a single thing about these platforms and therefore what questions to ask, but they’re also too egotistical to have anyone who DOES understand draft up a few Qs for them.
Few things build confidence that Congress is equipped to finely tune a vast industry more than Jim Sensenbrenner not knowing the difference between Twitter and Facebook in a hearing on that industry.
The congressman’s tech-challenged performance also kicked off countless boomer-themed jabs, with many suggesting the GOP rep may also need help navigating his TV remote and email account – the “intertubes” can be confusing, after all.
“Well hell it was one of the intertubes, idk about these newfangled gadgets”
This is how I picture Jim Sensenbrenner attempting to discuss “The Net” with tech CEOs. pic.twitter.com/NsGwmuwwDg
Now sir, what exactly would you say, is email? pic.twitter.com/4mRUeyzHut
Why doesn’t it click? It didn’t click. I thought it clicked.
Like this story? Share it with a friend!
