Zuckerberg to finally speak on Facebook troubles

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is finally breaking his silence on the improper data use revealed last weekend that has quickly spiraled into a catastrophe for the company. Mike Allen reported this morning that Zuckerberg plans to speak in the next 24 hours.

"It’s a big deal, and he knows it," a source close to Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg was initially more focused on how to fix the problems than on what to say, Mike was told.

Our thought bubble: After another long day yesterday piling on the political scrutiny and user outrage — in addition to an emergency meeting for Facebook employees where Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg were noticeably absent — it’s clear it’s time for the CEO to speak up.

Driving the news: Things are moving fast and furious in the widening scandal around Cambridge Analytica and Facebook. Here's what happened on Tuesday alone:

The bottom line: The scandal is building steam, not slowing down. And lots of people are waiting for Zuckerberg and Sandberg to break their silence.

Dig deeper: Listen to this NPR podcast (at 4:44), where I spoke this morning about the potential fallout. And, if you want to read a good overview, check out this Wired story.