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


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."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
El Palace Barcelona: old-world luxury in the heart of the city
The Week Recommends This historic hotel is set within a former Ritz outpost moments from the Passeig de Gràcia
-
The best history books to read in 2025
The Week Recommends These fascinating deep-dives are perfect for history buffs
-
July 4 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Friday’s political cartoons include the danger of talking politics at a family picnic, and disappearing Medicaid entitlements
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off