Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has accused the US government of pressuring Facebook to censor COVID-19 content in 2021, calling it a mistake and vowing to resist similar attempts in the future. In a letter to Congress, Zuckerberg also defended Facebook’s handling of a controversial New York Post story about Hunter Biden and announced that he will not fund US election infrastructure efforts this year due to accusations of partisanship.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has accused the Biden administration of pressuring Facebook to censor certain COVID-19 content during the pandemic. In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg claims White House and other government officials repeatedly pressured Facebook to remove content, including satire and humor, expressing frustration when Facebook did not comply. The White House denies these claims, stating their focus was on public health and encouraging responsible actions. The letter comes amidst rising concerns about misinformation on social media, particularly with the approaching 2024 election and the increased use of AI to create fake news. This situation highlights the ongoing tension between government oversight and freedom of speech on social media platforms.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has revealed that the Biden administration pressured his company to censor certain content on its platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zuckerberg expressed regret for not opposing the pressure sooner and confirmed he will not contribute to election infrastructure in the 2024 election.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has accused the Biden administration of pressuring his company to censor posts related to COVID-19. In a letter to Congress, Zuckerberg detailed instances where senior officials pressured Meta to censor content, including humor and satire, expressing frustration when their demands weren’t met. He also revealed that Meta demoted a story about Hunter Biden’s laptop based on an FBI warning that turned out to be unfounded.
Legendary investor Charlie Munger’s aversion to investing in companies he doesn’t understand, exemplified by his decision to avoid Facebook, offers valuable lessons for investors of all levels. His focus on understanding the underlying business and the importance of patience and discipline resonates even today, highlighting the enduring wisdom of his approach to investing.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is in talks with Reliance Jio about licensing its virtual reality program, Horizon. This move aligns with Meta’s strategy to expand Horizon OS’s user base through partnerships. Reliance Jio, known for its interest in augmented and virtual reality, plans to utilize Horizon for its upcoming VR device. The collaboration could mark a significant step for both companies in the growing AR/VR market.
Meta has apologized for mistakenly removing social media posts by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim concerning the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The tech giant restored the posts after facing criticism from Anwar’s office for suppressing free speech.
Meta Platforms has agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle a lawsuit filed by Texas, alleging the company illegally collected biometric data from millions of Texans through its facial recognition technology. The settlement, the largest of its kind by any state, resolves allegations that Meta violated Texas’s biometric privacy law by using facial recognition without consent. The case focused on Meta’s ‘Tag Suggestions’ feature, which has since been discontinued. While Meta denies any wrongdoing, the settlement underscores the growing scrutiny of tech companies’ data collection practices and the importance of regulatory compliance.
Meta has agreed to pay $1.4 billion over five years to settle a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas alleging the company violated the state’s biometric data privacy law by using facial recognition technology without consent. The settlement sets a new record for the largest amount paid in a single state lawsuit over biometric data privacy.
Meta Platforms has taken down over 63,000 Facebook accounts based in Nigeria that were involved in financial sexual extortion scams primarily targeting adult men in the United States. These scams, often associated with Nigerian online fraudsters known as “Yahoo boys”, involved creating fake profiles and threatening victims with the release of compromising photos unless they paid. While most attempts were unsuccessful, some targeted minors, which Meta reported to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. This removal effort highlights Meta’s commitment to combatting online scams and protecting its users.
