Zuckerberg asks for forgiveness amid reports of Facebook’s role in elections

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a Saturday evening post to the social media platform asked for “forgiveness” amid the controversy surrounding the company over its political advertising.

“Tonight concludes Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews when we reflect on the past year and ask forgiveness for our mistakes. For those I hurt this year, I ask forgiveness and I will try to be better,” Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post. 

“For the ways my work was used to divide people rather than bring us together, I ask forgiveness and I will work to do better,” he wrote. “May we all be better in the year ahead, and may you all be inscribed in the book of life.”

{mosads}Facebook last month admitted Russians who may have been connected to the Kremlin purchased ads on the platform during the 2016 presidential race, news that riled liberal groups and lawmakers.

Zuckerberg then said Facebook would change its ads policies to make them more transparent. 

The Senate Intelligence Committee, one of the congressional committees investigating Russia’s attempts to interfere in the 2016 election, last week invited Facebook to testify at a hearing that will analyze how foreign actors may have utilized social media companies to influence the election.