Mark Zuckerberg to discuss data scandals at Facebook's F8 conference

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg is expected to address the recent data privacy scandals that have engulfed the company on Tuesday, as he makes his first public appearance since being questioned by the US Congress.

He will deliver the opening keynote at the company's F8 developer conference in California, the annual event that brings together developers and engineers who work with the social network giant.

The event will be used as a stage to share more information on the firm's plans to improve the service in the wake of criticism over its data privacy policies.

The number of product announcements due to be made at the event are expected be scaled back however, as the company looks to instead rebuild trust with users.

Facebook's data privacy and business practices have come under heavy scrutiny following revelations about political consultancy Cambridge Analytica allegedly accessing the personal data of more than 87 million Facebook users.

In an appearance before a parliamentary inquiry into fake news last week, Facebook's chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer told MPs the company feels a "deep responsibility" to make sure its platform is safe.

However, his testimony was criticised by the chairman of select committee for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Damian Collins, who said Mr Schroepfer had "failed to answer many specific and detailed questions".

The committee has since threatened Mr Zuckerberg with a formal summons to give evidence himself, and his appearance at F8 is likely to be closely monitored by lawmakers and regulators in both the US and UK.

Ahead of his keynote, the social network's founder said he would discuss Facebook's approach to safety while at the event, writing in a Facebook post that he was "looking forward to sharing more of what we're working on" during F8.

"Our focus in 2018 is to keep people safe, and to keep building the experiences people expect from us," he said.

"We are taking a broader view of our responsibility - to not only give people powerful tools but to make sure these tools are used for good."