Facebook works hard to protect Mark Zuckerberg's public image. Professional photographers take the best photographs of him, visiting a Facebook data center, petting a calf, and meeting with world leaders.
But the most frantic display we have seen is Facebook's effort during this week's trial in a Dallas federal courtroom, where Zuck testified in a $2 billion intellectual property lawsuit against the company.
Except for a very short video clip caught by CNBC, nobody was able to snag a picture of Zuckerberg Tuesday when he arrived at Earle Cabell Federal Courthouse. Unlike John Carmack and Palmer Luckey, other important Facebook employees who also testified, the moment Zuck finished his testimony he was escorted out of the courtroom by his security team.
Zuckerberg protects his public image
Once Zuck had been escorted down the hallway towards the legal war rooms, which Facebook's employees and lawyers occupied during breaks, court security wardened off the area. Then, Zuck was escorted to a private elevator used for courthouse judges, and three black vehicles peeled out of a exit at the back of the courthouse.
Later, Zuck slipped out of his suit and tie and back into his typical jeans and t-shirt to visit Facebook's new data center in Fort Worth and then visited a rodeo. How charming!
Indeed, trying to get a photo of anyone at the court, including Luckey or CTO Carmack, proved to be very difficult. It seemed Facebook had thought of everything. The judge even joked, he said that he would destroy the phone of anyone who tried to take a picture inside the court.
Mark Zuckerberg and crew looked pretty dapper when they showed up to court this week in stylish suits. But for some reason, they did not want you to see it.
