“We cannot afford this level of dependence on foreign tech,” lawmakers say in letter obtained by POLITICO.

MENLO PARK, CA—In an effort to dismiss widespread criticism, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly insisted Thursday that anyone with the same skewed values and tenacious thirst for power could have made the same mistakes he did. “I know I screwed up, and I understand why you’re all upset, but if you were a morally corrupt megalomaniac hell-bent on manipulating society to your twisted whims, you would have done the exact same thing,” said Zuckerberg, suggesting that people should put themselves in the shoes of a self-absorbed asshole with a warped perception of humanity who justified the exploitation of personal connections as a means of amassing unfettered influence and profits to truly comprehend why he made every completely fucked-up decision. “Listen, any cruel and sadistic piece of shit in my position would willingly cheapen the human experience into a series of superficial interactions to further their own tainted legacy.” At press time, Zuckerberg expressed hope that people would take the time to consider his distorted, malicious perspective.