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Facebook's F8 annual developer conference returns April 30

CEO Mark Zuckerberg will have a lot to address during his keynote speech.

Queenie Wong Former Senior Writer
Queenie Wong was a senior writer for CNET News, focusing on social media companies including Facebook's parent company Meta, Twitter and TikTok. Before joining CNET, she worked for The Mercury News in San Jose and the Statesman Journal in Salem, Oregon. A native of Southern California, she took her first journalism class in middle school.
Expertise I've been writing about social media since 2015 but have previously covered politics, crime and education. I also have a degree in studio art. Credentials
  • 2022 Eddie award for consumer analysis
Queenie Wong
2 min read
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All eyes will be on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at F8.

James Martin

Facebook's annual developer conference will return next year to the San Jose McEnery Convention Center on April 30 and May 1.

The tech giant's biggest event of the year features keynote speeches from Facebook executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

"There will be networking opportunities, deep-dive sessions, and product demos, all showcasing how technology can enable the best of what people can do together," wrote Ime Archibong, vice president of product partnerships, in a blog post Tuesday.

From a data privacy scandal to concerns about the company's leadership, Zuckerberg will have a lot to address during his keynote speech. Facebook has vowed to fix the problems plaguing it, such as hate speech and election interference, but is under pressure from lawmakers and advocacy groups to do more.

During the 2018 conference, Zuckerberg talked about privacy efforts after revelations surfaced in March that UK political consultancy Cambridge Analytica harvested the data of up to 87 million Facebook users without their permission. He acknowledged that Facebook had an "intense year" and the company has seen people use its tools in harmful ways. 

Since then, criticism of the social network has only intensified. An investigation last month by The New York Times about how Zuckerberg and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg handled a series of scandals shined a harsh spotlight on the company's leadership. 

The company also unveils new features during the conference. Last year, Facebook showcased a dating app feature, a way for users to clear their browsing history, and augmented reality tools.

Registration for the 2019 event hasn't opened yet, but Facebook said developers can sign up for updates on F8's website.

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