Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Friday defended his decision to reduce Meta's content moderation policies. Appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast.. Zuckerberg faced widespread criticism for the decision. From the employees in his company.
“It probably depends on who you ask,” Zuckerberg said when asked how Meta's updates were received.
Hi Key updates Meta announced this week. It ended its independent fact-checker program and replaced it with an X-like community notes program. That is, Facebook; Instagram and Threads will increasingly rely on community members to flag misinformation. The company also said it would increase the limits for its automatic opt-in filters. This means that a few bad posts on Meta's platforms will be automatically removed, but a few good ones will be mistakenly removed. Although the Meta doesn't announce this His biggest DEI effort was reportedly pulled off.
In a nearly three-hour, wide-ranging conversation, Zuckerberg explained why his social media platforms are turning to the roots of free expression.
“Only start one of these companies if you believe in giving people a voice,” said Meta's CEO. “The whole point of social media is basically to let people share what they want. We've returned to our original mission of sharing people and making the world more open and connected.”
The timing of these decisions is impossible to ignore. Zuckerberg announced the changes just days before Donald Trump took office. Former president-elect Meta's CEO claims he plotted to assassinate him in the 2020 election.Zuckerberg was reportedly threatened with prison if he did it again.
When it came to Trump, Zuckerberg said he was optimistic about the incoming president because he “just wants America to win.” The CEO noted how important it is to have a government that protects American tech companies abroad, an apparent reference. Meta faces the European Union.
However, Zuckerberg insisted the timing of the changes was purely coincidental and not a good time for major content moderation changes. in fact, Meta's CEO says these changes have been a long time coming.
Zuckerberg said, “I was really concerned from the beginning about becoming that kind of decision-maker for the truth of the world. “It's a crazy situation for the millions of people using your service.”
In the last decade, Meta's CEO says people are pushing ideology-based censorship on its platforms. He specifically referred to two key events: the 2016 election for the US president and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Zuckerberg said the Biden administration pressured them to take down the truth. The Meta CEO said at the time that some concerns about vaccine side effects that Meta had withdrawn should not be dismissed as misinformation.
The Meta CEO told Rogan that X and Twitter “have outdone us” on the topic of content curation, noting how his platforms will use the community notes feature. Noteworthy Many advertisers have left X in recent years because of its content moderation policies.Mass X is now challenging it in court. As an illusion.
Rogan and Zuckerberg do jiu-jitsu; During Friday's episodes, the topic moved from cutting edge to broader topics, including AI and broader changes in American culture.
Meta's CEO says he sees a sea change happening, with people trusting government officials and less of the media establishment. In their place, Social media creators and podcast hosts like Rogan himself have gained influence and credibility.
This sentiment is summed up by the company in Meta's recent transitions to news on its platforms. It stopped advertising news or political content. Grandfather. However, Zuckerberg signaled this week that he would continue. Please update this political thread again. For its promotional algorithms.
On the other hand, Zuckerberg noted how Western society, and especially corporate America, has become “disappeared” and “neutered.” He defended the need for more masculinity in the country and its businesses.
Several times throughout the podcast, Zuckerberg suggested that he has deferred too much to the media over the past 10 years, and that he blames things outside of his control. This isn't the first time Zuckerberg has said Meta will be less responsible. Step forward for all the bad things on its platform. But in Friday's conversation, he was more outspoken and bolder than ever on the subject.
Citing how Meta has silenced conservative voices, Zuckerberg said, “We've gotten to the point where there are things you can't say (on our platforms).
The Meta CEO has repeatedly reported on Trump's nomination of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth He said that women should not be allowed to serve in combat roles.. Under Meta's previous content moderation rules; Zuckerberg said those comments were impermissible because they excluded a protected class of people. Zuckerberg said these comments will be fine under Meta's new policy.
“If it's okay to say it on the floor of Congress, we can debate it on social media,” he said.
In Dana White; Meta's CEO added the UFC chairman to its board of directors because of his entrepreneurial leadership and adding more people with a “strong backbone” to his company.
“We have a lot of pressure on our company from governments and people around the world, and we need strong people to advise us on how to deal with these situations,” Zuckerberg said in White.