Facebook shuffles top management, eyes Blockchain: Report

Mired in a massive data breach controversy, Facebook has reportedly rolled out biggest-ever shuffle at the senior management level since its inception -- across platforms, including WhatsApp and Messenger.

According to tech news website Recode, Facebook has made long-time executive Chris Cox in-charge of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger -- now called a "family of apps".

"Facebook is also building a new team dedicated to Blockchain technology. David Marcus, the executive in-charge of Facebook's standalone messaging app, Messenger, is leaving that post to run the Blockchain group," the report said late on Tuesday.

The Blockchain team would come under "New platforms and infra" run by Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Mike Schroepfer, who will also take care of Facebook's AR, VR and Artificial Intelligence initiatives.

Facebook executive Javier Olivan, Vice President of Growth, will oversee the third division titled "Central product services".

This vertical will include shared features that operate across multiple products or apps such as ads, security and growth.

"Adam Mosseri, the Facebook product executive who runs News Feed, is headed over to Instagram to become the company's new VP of product," the report claimed.

Meanwhile, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg will keep her duties.

Facebook on Tuesday announced the appointment of Jeff Zients, CEO of Cranemere, to the company's board of directors and audit committee, effective May 31.

In a jolt to Facebook, WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum in April decided to move on amid reports that he had a difference of opinion with parent company Facebook over data privacy, encryption and other issues.

After the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, Facebook has warned investors that more users' data scandals in the future may adversely affect the social networking giant's reputation and brand image.

In its quarterly report shared with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), without mentioning Cambridge Analytica, Facebook said that its ongoing investments in safety, security and content review will identify additional instances of misuse of user data.

"We may also be notified of such incidents or activity via the media or other third parties," Facebook said.

Appearing before the US Congress, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the lawmakers that his own personal data was part of 87 million users' that was "improperly shared" with the British political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica which has not shut down operations.

--IANS

na/in