Facebook Is a Normal Sleazy Company Now
SlateThe leaders of Facebook can no longer pretend they are special people running a special company. And we know that COO Sheryl Sandberg, in the face of growing scrutiny of the company, was so desperate to repair the leak in the price of Facebook stock that she went into cahoots with a number of suspect figures across American politics—including a right-wing opposition research shop dabbling in the PR dark arts as well as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who ran interference for the company within his party. Over the past three years, Facebook has been outed for abusing the trust of its users, sharing personal data with third parties like Cambridge Analytica, unwittingly hosting Russian-backed propaganda intended to undermine American democracy, amplifying calls for religious and ethnic violence in places like Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and promoting violent authoritarian and nationalist leaders like Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines and Narendra Modi in India. As these stories piled up and public trust eroded, the Times reports, Zuckerberg consistently exempted himself from crucial discussions with the Facebook security team and acted generally baffled that anyone would question his baby. Because of Facebook’s propensity to algorithmically amplify content that generates strong emotions, University of Pennsylvania professor Kathleen Hall Jamieson concludes in her new book Cyberwar that Russian activity in the 2016 election “not only infected the news agenda but also tilted the balance of discourse in battleground states against the Democratic Party nominee.” Warner, one of the few in this drama who comes off as more concerned about the fate of the republic than the prospect of Facebook campaign contributions, has been such a strong and consistent interrogator of Facebook that his party leader, Schumer, felt compelled to defend his old friend Sandberg.
History of this topic
Zuckerberg: King of the Metaverse, review: how Facebook changed (then ruined) the world
The Telegraph
Sheryl Sandberg leaves Facebook at a tough time
The Hindu
Sheryl Sandberg, long Facebook’s No. 2 exec, steps down
Associated Press
Op-Ed: It’s too late to envision a future without Facebook — or at least the world it built
LA Times
Facebook has become a hellscape – and there’s no way out
The Independent
The AP Interview: Facebook whistleblower fears the metaverse
Associated PressFacebook whistleblower Frances Haugen slams 'Meta' rebrand
The Hindu
‘Prioritise people and planet over profit’: Patagonia calls on firms to join Facebook boycott
The Independent
Meta and the Facebook Papers: Why Mark Zuckerberg has nothing to fear
Salon
In the middle of a crisis, Facebook Inc. renames itself Meta
Associated Press
Facebook Is Going Meta
Wired
Early Facebook investor blames major advertisers for ‘turning a blind eye’ to Facebook’s problems
CNN
Former Zuckerberg advisor: Facebook’s problem is its business model
CNN
Facebook papers: Huge trove of documents released from inside social network, showing struggle to keep control
The Independent
People or profit? Facebook papers show deep conflict within
Associated Press
Opinion: Facebook, don’t change your name – change your CEO
CNN
‘Not true’: Mark Zuckerberg responds to claims that Facebook prioritises profit
Live Mint
Ex-Facebook employee tells Congress social media giant endangers users, democracy
LA Times‘Facebook prioritising profit over safety’
The HinduFacebook calls Wall Street Journal reports “deliberate mischaracterizations”
The Hindu
Facebook shows how with great power comes great irresponsibility
Live Mint
Facebook says it halts hackers tied to Palestinian security
Associated Press
Facebook faces year of reckoning after showdown in Australia
Live Mint
Facebook’s bid to ‘bully’ Australia sparks a global backlash
CNN)
US trade commission and over 40 states accuse Facebook of illegally crushing competition
Firstpost
Editorial: Facebook is too big. Breaking it up is just part of the solution
LA Times)
The Social Dilemma is 'Distorted': Facebook Issues 7-Point Response to Viral Documentary
News 18)
Facebook's Oversight Board Says it Expects to Consider 'Highly Challenging Cases', to Begin Operating in Coming Months
News 18
Facebook quarterly profit rockets despite ad boycott, pandemic
Live Mint
A pinch where it hurts: Can Facebook weather the ad boycott?
Associated Press
Advertisers have Facebook’s attention. Now here’s what they want
CNN
Here’s how big Facebook’s ad business really is
CNN
Facebook will label more controversial content and tighten advertising policies
CNN
Facebook is weakening democracy | Analysis
Hindustan Times)
Facebook's steps to fight 'deepfake' videos are not adequate: US lawmakers
Firstpost){kind=logo}
Facebook's political ad policy allows spread of misinformation, says US Democratic panel
FirstpostFacebook News to forge business ties with media outlets, says Mark Zuckerberg
The Hindu)
Facebook is officially encouraging publishers of fake news on its News platform, all in the name of diversity
Firstpost
Why Mark Zuckerberg Keeps Saying Facebook Needs to Win Against China
Slate
Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook empowers a peoples’ ‘fifth estate’ to effect change
LA TimesFacebook can’t be taken down, but Zuckerberg can be taken down a notch
The Hindu
Live updates: Mark Zuckerberg addresses privacy and regulation
CNN
Mark Zuckerberg makes his case for not breaking up Facebook
CNN
Why does Facebook fail to fix itself? It’s partly humans
Associated Press)
Facebook overhauls design as it pivots to private messaging
Firstpost
Facebook needs regulation, says Mark Zuckerberg
India Today
Facebook CEO Zuckerberg calls for more outside regulation
Associated Press
Can Zuckerberg really make a privacy-friendly Facebook?
Associated Press
Zuckerberg promises a privacy-friendly Facebook, sort of
Associated Press
Facebook’s plan to put ‘privacy first’ could create new problems
CNNDiscover Related
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