Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have slammed Mark Zuckerberg following Meta’s latest move to scrap fact-checking on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex blasted the
company’s latest policy changes and condemned the social media mogul for
scrapping the long-standing fact-checking program the platforms have used in
previous years.
“It doesn’t matter whether your views are
left, right or somewhere in between — the latest news from Meta about changes
to their policies directly undermines free speech,” the couple said in a
statement published on their Archewell website. “This should deeply
concern us all.”
“Contrary to the company’s talking points,
allowing more abuse and normalizing hate speech serves to silence speech and
expression, not foster it,” the pair went on, calling it a “harmful
setback.”
“In an already confusing and, in many
instances, intentionally disruptive information environment, Meta has shown
their words and commitments have very little meaning or integrity.”
Harry and Meghan said Zuckerberg’s latest
move could have substantial global implications, particularly for those “still
recovering from or actively suffering from” the negative effects of social
media.
Meta’s fact-checking program was initially
introduced to combat the spread of misinformation on its platforms.
Zuckerberg justified the decision to scrap
it as part of a broader strategy to embrace “free expression,” describing the
2024 election as a “cultural tipping point” that necessitated the change.
“It’s time to get back to our roots around
free expression,” he said in his announcement.
However, the Sussexes claim that the CEO’s decision goes “directly against
[Meta’s] stated mission to ‘build human connection’ and instead prioritize
those using the platforms to spread hate, lies and division at the expense of
everyone else.”
Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, said they were
“alarmed by plans to abandon commitments to diversity and equity,” adding that
it will “foster an environment where abuse and hate speech silence and threaten
the voices of whole communities who make up a healthy democracy.”
“We urge Meta to reconsider and reinstate
policies to protect all users,” they added.
“We also call on leaders across industries to uphold their commitments to
integrity and public safety in online spaces, and we applaud leaders who refuse
to kowtow to bullying.”
The decision to end the platform’s fact-checking program and scale
back hate speech restrictions has since raised questions about brand safety on
the $1.5 trillion tech giant’s platforms, which generate the majority of their
$135 billion annual revenue from advertising.
Zuckerberg, 40, has since faced criticism
over the move, as a top Meta official said he is “buckling to political
pressure” ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking
office.
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