Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

'Deletefacebook' trends after Zuckerberg backlash

'Deletefacebook' trends after Zuckerberg backlash

It follows revelations Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had unofficial meetings with right-wing politicians.

The hashtag deletefacebook is trending on social media after it emerged Mark Zuckerberg held informal dinners with conservative politicians and right-wing commentators in the US.

The meetings began in July, the news website Politico reported.

In a post on Facebook, Mr Zuckerberg said he had "dinners with lots of people across the spectrum".

Hearing different viewpoints was "part of learning", he said. "If you haven't tried it, I suggest you do."

Politico suggested the meetings were part of a "broader effort to cultivate friends on the right".

US President Donald Trump accused Facebook of censorship in May 2019, after the platform banned seven right-wing commentators, including conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

People have been using the deletefacebook hashtag to express their views about the platform, which include criticisms of its failure to remove harmful content and stop the spread of disinformation.

At time of writing, it is the most popular hashtag on Twitter.

However, some have used it to tweet those supporting the sentiment were displaying their own intolerance of political viewpoints.

"Mark Zuckerberg had meetings with conservative politicians and commentators... in an effort to make the platform less biased," tweeted Ryan Fournier, who chairs Students for Trump.

Others said there was no better alternative for managing their friend networks or they needed the platform for professional reasons.

"Facebook will have real issues if people start refusing to use it because there's a sense that the firm isn't doing the right thing," said business journalist Matthew Gwyther.

"There's no great evidence that this is happening at the moment... but it does seem that there's a negative story almost every day."

Mr Gwyther said it was not unusual in itself for a company the size of Facebook to be talking to both left- and right-wing politicians.

"It would be odd if they weren't," he added.

The deletefacebook hashtag previously trended in March 2018, following the revelations of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

It was used then by Brian Acton, the co-founder of WhatsApp, which was acquired by Facebook.

"We all moved on from MySpace. We can move on from Facebook too," he wrote.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
×