• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, January 8, 2019

Following a year when it seemed like Facebook couldn’t do anything right, Mark Zuckerberg is reaching out to users for guidance.

Under the auspices of his annual personal challenge, Facebook’s cofounder-CEO plans to host a series of public discussions about the future of technology.

Of course, that will include matters directly and indirectly related to Facebook’s business, from content policing to data security to the evolution of social and communal dynamics.

In a blog post, a seemingly vexed Zuckerberg said the role technology plays in people’s lives has never been less clear.

“Do we want technology to keep giving more people a voice, or will traditional gatekeepers control what ideas can be expressed? Should we decentralize authority through encryption or other means to put more power in people's hands? In a world where many physical communities are weakening, what role can the internet play in strengthening our social fabric?” he asked.

As for the timing, Zuckerberg said he plans to meet up with leaders, experts, and regular folks every few weeks.

To keep things interesting, the mogul said he will experiment with different formats. However, Zuckerberg promised that each of the discussions will be public, either on his Facebook or Instagram pages, or some other type of media.

According to Zuckerberg, the real challenge will be facing people whose lives his company affects, for better or worse.

“I'm an engineer, and I used to just build out my ideas and hope they’d mostly speak for themselves,” Zuckerberg said. “But given the importance of what we do, that doesn’t cut it anymore.”

This isn’t the first time Zuckerberg has committed to stepping outside of his comfort zone, and meeting a broad swath of Facebook’s users.

In 2017, his personal challenge involving visiting every state in the country, and listening to people along the way.