People who talk to Mark Zuckerberg on his tour across America aren't allowed to tell reporters what was said

(Image credit: Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

If you live in one of the 30 states Mark Zuckerberg is visiting during his 2017 "personal challenge" to see all the states he's never been to, then be on the look out — the Facebook founder could pop up at any moment.

But if you do happen to encounter Zuckerberg, don't expect to be able to post about it on Facebook. "They asked me not to quote what Mr. Zuckerberg said," Chris Ball, the city administrator of Wilton, Iowa, told The Wall Street Journal. "They said to refer people to their press guys."

[...T]here are rules to abide by if you are an ordinary person about to meet an extraordinary entrepreneur.Rule One: You probably won't know Mr. Zuckerberg is coming.Rule Two: If you do know he's coming, keep it to yourself.Rule Three: Be careful what you reveal about the meeting. [The Wall Street Journal]

The concerns aren't always founded, though, as not everyone even knows who Zuckerberg is. "They said, 'That's Mark Zuckberg,'" recalled Blues musician James "Super Chikan" Johnson of Clarksdale, Mississippi. "I said, 'Who dat?' They said, 'It's the Facebook guy, the guy who owns the Facebook.' I said, 'You've got to be kidding me.' I had no idea who he was."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.