Media Production Editor
Over the last few months, Meta Platforms CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has made a concerted effort to mend his rocky relationship with President Trump. Since 2020, Trump has repeatedly expressed his dislike of Zuckerberg and attacked him for using his social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, to help defeat Trump’s 2020 reelection bid. Now, with Trump taking office again, Zuckerburg implemented changes to his company in hopes of pleasing the president and improving relations between them.
Zuckerberg and Trump have long had a problematic relationship. Much of their dispute stems from the role Facebook and Instagram played in recent US elections. After the media accused Meta of spreading false claims and misinformation during the 2016 presidential election, it introduced a fact-checking system in hopes of ameliorating the problem. Trump, however, claimed that Meta’s fact-checking program was weaponized against him because it had the effect of censoring conservative voices during the next election in 2020. Trump has also sued Zuckerberg and Facebook for suspending his account after Trump supporters invaded the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump has repeatedly accused Zuckerberg of plotting against him, threatened him with life imprisonment, and publicly called the CEO a “criminal.”
As the political winds shifted with the 2024 election, Zuckerberg immediately began making moves to improve his position with Trump. He paid visits to Mar-a-Lago, contributed to Trump’s inauguration fund, and made a host of changes at Meta designed to please Trump and other conservatives. Most significantly, Zuckerberg has announced his decision to end Meta’s fact-checking system and replace it with a community-driven system similar to the one currently used at X, the social media platform owned by major Trump supporter Elon Musk. In addition, Zuckerberg has added prominent Republicans to his executive staff and board of directors and announced the roll-back of Meta’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
In Joe Biden’s farewell address, the past president warned the country of the new tech “oligarchy” that he believes is now threatening American freedoms. Biden criticized Musk and Zuckerberg and went so far as to call the influential men similar to 19th century robber barons who needed to be stopped like once before. Biden especially shared his dislike for social media where he believes “the truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit.” It is clear the past president does not approve of recent relationships between tech companies and the White House.
Zuckerberg is coming under a fair amount of criticism for his apparent pandering to Trump. His various pivots in recent years make it difficult to discern Zuckerberg’s personal beliefs about the changes he is making to his company. However, Zuckerberg has made it clear that he is prioritizing whatever is necessary to promote Meta’s success.
(Sources: CBS, USA TODAY, reason)
Categories: National