Reuters/Leah Millis
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is seen through reflective glass as he sits in the office of Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) while he waits for a meeting in the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, U.S.
- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will not officially be under oath during his Senate testimony on Tuesday.
- Zuckerberg will still be legally required to tell the truth, as lying to Congress is a federal crime.
WASHINGTON - Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg will not be sworn in or take an oath during his joint hearing before the Senate's Judiciary and Commerce committees on Tuesday, two sources confirmed to Business Insider.
While Zuckerberg will not be under oath, he will still be required to answer truthfully, as lying to Congress is a federal crime. The Judiciary Committee typically requires witnesses to be sworn in, but the Commerce Committee does not. In addition, Zuckerberg is a non-government witness, which Judiciary often does not require to go under oath.
Breitbart News first reported that Zuckerberg will not be under oath, citing a senior GOP aide.
Zuckerberg's hearing on Tuesday will feature questions from 44 senators across two committees. The rare joint hearing is slated to last several hours, and is among the most high profile in recent months.
Zuckerberg is on Capitol Hill this week to face a barrage of questions from lawmakers looking to probe the tech giant over concerns about privacy, data collection, and more.