Zuckerberg says in interview he fears "erosion of truth," defends allowing politicians to lie in ads

[Miles Archer]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/10/17/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-says-interview-he-fears-erosion-truth-defends-allowing-politicians-lie-ads/

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview he worries “about an erosion of truth” online but defended the policy that allows politicians to peddle ads containing misrepresentations and lies on his social network, a stance that has sparked an outcry during the 2020 presidential campaign.

“People worry, and I worry deeply, too, about an erosion of truth,” Zuckerberg told The Washington Post ahead of a speech Thursday at Georgetown University. “At the same time, I don’t think people want to live in a world where you can only say things that tech companies decide are 100 percent true. And I think that those tensions are something we have to live with.”

Zuckerberg’s approach to political speech has come under fire in recent weeks. Democrats have taken particular issue with Facebook’s decision to allow an ad from President Trump’s 2020 campaign that included falsehoods about former vice president Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Sen. Elizabeth Warren responded to Facebook’s decision by running her own campaign ad, satirically stating that Zuckerberg supports Trump for re-election.

Zuckerberg framed the issue as part of a broader debate over free expression, warning about the dangers of social networks, including Facebook, “potentially cracking down too much.” He called on the U.S. to set an example for tailored regulation in contrast to other countries, including China, that censor political speech online. And Zuckerberg stressed Facebook must stand strong against governments that seek to “pull back” on free speech in the face of heightened social and political tensions.

[Mike Nelson]

1. Hmm...

... will there be any ad in which Donald Trump does not lie?

[Thomas Hurt]

2. LOL, mercenary sh*t, is worried about him not making as much money.

[unblock]

3. "i feel just bloody awful about raking in billions while the world crumbles around me"

[Miles Archer]

5. Yeah, he's addressing the issue by...

...having closed-door meetings with "conservative politicians and media" and waxing philosophic on how bad a "progressive" president would be for Facebook.

Real straight arrow, that boy...fighting for truth, justice and the American way.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

4. All he cares about is the bottom line.

[matt819]

6. Well, Jeff, you may be rich, but you're also an idiot

Like it or not, you are not only in the advertising business, you are also in the journalism business. And in the journalism biz, you have to make a decision on whether something is true before you publish it. You can no longer hide behind the figleaf of being only an intermediary. This might once have worked, but it doesn't anymore. Not when you and Google have forced the erosion of legitimate journalism in the US over the past ten years. You had a great opportunity to raise the bar, set the standard, and meet the ethical challenge. You didn't. It's as simple as that. And in the same way that America will pay the price for having elected Trump, Americans and the rest of the world will pay a price for allowing you and Google and Amazon to become what you have become.

[Miles Archer]

8. "Mark" n/t

[matt819]

10. I was thinking of the other billionaire idiot

Though he's more of an idiot for not paying his warehouse employees living wages (and actually not even employing them), and screwing Amazon merchants.

[bamagal62]

7. Fuckerberg

[PSPS]

9. "Erosion of rubles" is more like it. And he had his bitcoin conduit all ready to go, too.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

11. Fucking bullshit