• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
LeadershipCEO Daily

Facebook, GSK and Pfizer, Naspers and Tencent: CEO Daily for March 22, 2018

By
David Meyer
David Meyer
and
Alan Murray
Alan Murray
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Meyer
David Meyer
and
Alan Murray
Alan Murray
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 22, 2018, 7:32 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Good morning.

When I wrote last month that Facebook would be the biggest loser in the Russian melee, I didn’t imagine it would be this bad. But over the last week—while I was enjoying a break from this newsletter—the social network company lost about 10% of its value, or $50 billion.

Mark Zuckerberg weighed in yesterday afternoon with a blog post that you can read here. “We have a responsibility to protect your data,” he wrote, “and if we can’t, then we don’t deserve to serve you.” Problem is, that’s a responsibility Facebook has had since day one, and Zuckerberg’s increasingly frequent mea culpas keep coming days late and mega-dollars short. If your memory needs refreshing, the folks at Fast Company did a nice summary of 15 years’ worth of Zuckerberg apologies here.

Most of yesterday’s post was devoted to defending Facebook’s response over the last three years to abuses by Cambridge Analytica. But of course, Facebook didn’t ban Cambridge Analytica from its platform until Friday—and then only in response to newspaper inquiries. That’s not likely to convince anyone that the CEO has turned over a new leaf, or to slow the anti-Facebook bandwagon. As one commenter on the post put it: “So basically you knew this shit was going on years ago and NOW since you’ve been caught with your pants down, this is your response? Pathetic.”

If Zuckerberg really has had a change of heart, and wants to be taken seriously, he’ll have to do more than write a defensive-sounding blog post. Among other things, he’s going to be called to testify to Congress, and he would be wise not to send his lawyer in his place, as he did last year.

The bigger problem is that Facebook’s entire business model is based on selling peoples’ data—and not always in ways that those people approve of, or have agreed to. A true ”fix” to the problem could also tank the company’s revenue. That’s why this week’s stock price swoon probably will not be the last.

By the way, among those joining the #deletefacebook campaign this week was Brian Acton, who made a fortune cofounding and then selling WhatsApp to Facebook.

More news below.

Alan Murray
@alansmurray
alan.murray@fortune.com

Top News

GSK and Pfizer

GlaxoSmithKline has beaten a rival bid from Reckitt Benckiser for Pfizer's healthcare business, according to a Financial Times report. The business, which includes products such as Advil painkillers and Centrum multivitamins, may be worth up to $20 billion, Pfizer hopes. It's not clear if there were other bidders. GSK shares rose on the news, while Reckitt's fell. FT

Naspers and Tencent

South Africa's Naspers is selling 6% of its stake in the Chinese tech giant Tencent—a cash-in that's worth a cool $10.6 billion. The media group has a 33.2% stake in Tencent, which will fall to 31.2%. Naspers made a very smart decision back in 2001 to put $32 million into the Chinese firm, giving it a stake that now has a value of $175 billion. Naspers said it will use the cash to "reinforce [its] balance sheet" and to invest in other things, like food delivery and fintech. Naspers

YouTube vs. Guns

YouTube has quietly introduced a ban on videos promoting or linking to sites that sell firearms and things like bump stocks. It's also banned videos that show people how to assemble firearms. "While we've long prohibited the sale of firearms, we recently notified creators of updates we will be making around content promoting the sale or manufacture of firearms and their accessories," the Google-owned platform said. Gun enthusiasts are not pleased. Bloomberg

Musk's Green Light

Tesla's shareholders have approved Elon Musk's controversial pay deal, which will see the CEO collect up to $2.6 billion if the company hits a series of valuation and sales targets. It also ensures that Musk will stay at the helm of Tesla for the next decade. The package attracted criticism from some investor groups over its size. The news of the approval sent Tesla's shares up 3%. BBC

Around the Water Cooler

The Schrems Effect

Bloomberg has a pithy profile of Max Schrems, the young Austrian lawyer who has done more than any other individual to get companies such as Facebook—and really, Facebook in particular—to change their ways on the privacy front. It was Schrems who was responsible for sinking the transatlantic Safe Harbor data-sharing agreement, and he's preparing fresh suits under his newly crowdfunded "None of Your Business" (NOYB) organization, once Europe's new GDPR data protection law comes into effect in late May. Bloomberg

African Single Currency

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has backed the idea of a pan-African single currency. Ramaphosa said the move would help the continent wean itself off foreign currency. "We must rid ourselves of this colonial mentality that demands we rely on other people's currency. Perhaps the day, the hour and the moment could have arrived for us to create a single African currency. Our focus should not be on our individual countries but the continent as a whole to unlock great opportunities and capabilities," he told a meeting of the African Continental Free Trade Area business forum. Independent Online

Cryptocurrency Scrutiny

The U.K. government is launching a task force to examine the risks and benefits of cryptocurrencies. The group will include the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority. Chancellor Philip Hammond said he is "committed to helping the sector grow and flourish." The U.K. and Australia have also signed a "fintech bridge" agreement to let each other's companies more easily access each other's markets. CNBC

Sessions Probe

Before being sacked by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe reportedly authorized an investigation into whether Sessions lied to Congress. According to the Justice Department, Sessions didn't know about the probe when he decided to fire McCabe. The investigation apparently ended without criminal charges. NBC

This edition of CEO Daily was edited by David Meyer. Find previous editions here, and sign up for other Fortune newsletters here.

About the Authors
By David Meyer
LinkedIn icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Alan Murray
By Alan Murray
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
By Fortune EditorsJune 26, 2026
1 hour ago
Marketing leaders speak at Fortune's Fuel Up event in Cannes. (L-R) Natalia Ball, Mars Pet Nutrition; Zena Arnold, Sephora; Tati Lindenberg, Unilever; Laura Jones, Instacart; Ruth Umoh, Fortune
RetailCMO
The new CMO playbook: how marketers are balancing broader remits and tighter budgets
By Sam BirchallJune 26, 2026
3 hours ago
mj
CommentarySuccession
Morgan Stanley on life after selling your business: a roadmap for entrepreneurs
By Mark JansenJune 26, 2026
3 hours ago
Two former governors launch a bipartisan coalition to confront the coming AI jobs shock
NewslettersCEO Daily
Two former governors launch a bipartisan coalition to confront the coming AI jobs shock
By Diane BradyJune 26, 2026
5 hours ago
Singapore grads battle low-paid trainee stigma to get hired
AsiaSingapore
Singapore grads battle low-paid trainee stigma to get hired
By Gabrielle Ng and BloombergJune 26, 2026
5 hours ago
kid
SuccessSocial Media
Kids want to be influencers when they grow up, because they ‘gets lots of money’ and ‘they want to be famous’
By Matthew Simoneau and The ConversationJune 26, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
Success
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Economy
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
By Nick LichtenbergJune 26, 2026
7 hours ago
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
Economy
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
By Tristan BoveJune 25, 2026
18 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.