USA: Zuckerberg defends his cryptocurrency Libra in Congress

W/S Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg arriving at Congress hearing, House Financial Services Committee, Washington DC
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SOT, Maxine Waters Chairwoman, Committee on Financial Services: "It seems to me that you shifted your stance because you realised that you could use your size and your users' data to dominate the cryptocurrency market. You change your policy when it benefits you. You reinstate cryptocurrency ads because you have plans to start your own cryptocurrency. So, this brings be back to your new policy on political speech. My question to you is: How does this whole policy benefit you?"
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SOT, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO: "So, this really is not about money. On principle, I believe in giving people a voice. I believe that ads can be an important part of voice. I think that, especially in the political process for challenger candidates and for local candidates or advocacy groups whose message might not otherwise be covered by the media, having ads can be an important way to inject your message into the political debate."
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SOT, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO: "I think that if we're able to move forward that project, there may be some people who don't want to use it, because they don't trust us or don't like us and that's one of the values of having independence of association, where there will be other competitor wallets and other approaches too. But I think that this is an area when being able to put ideas out to the world, letting market work and letting people choose for themselves what they trust in and what sources they want to use, this is probably the right approach."
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SOT, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO: "But we are committed to getting all of the appropriate US approvals before launching the Libra payment system in any country in the world, even where those approvals might not be strictly required."
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SCRIPT
CEO and founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg was questioned by the House Financial Services Committee about his new cryptocurrency project Libra, in Washington DC on Wednesday.
Zuckerberg assured that the project won't be launched until it gets all the "appropriate US approvals," adding that it also relates to launching Libra "in any country in the world, even where those approvals might not be required."
Zuckerberg also defended political advertising on Facebook, saying that he believes in "giving people a voice."
"I think that, especially in the political process for challenger candidates and for local candidates or advocacy groups whose message might not otherwise be covered by the media, having ads can be an important way to inject your message into the political debate," he stressed.