Olivier Alexandre, author of “La Tech. When Silicon Valley remakes the world” published in Le Seuil
CNRS H Triay
Olivier Alexandre is a doctor in sociology, research fellow at the CNRS, his work focuses on digital technology and culture. His investigations into new technologies notably led him to Stanford University in California. He published in 2023 “Tech. When Silicon Valley remakes the world » published by Seuil.
Mark Zuckerberg indicated on Tuesday that his Meta group (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.) would considerably reduce content moderation on networks (1), appearing to pledge allegiance to Donald Trump, in the name of “freedom of expression”. Were you surprised by this announcement?
There had been warning signs for several weeks in terms of the group’s governance, such as the appointment of Joel Kaplan, a former Republican leader, to manage international affairs, or the entry to the board of directors of Dana White, figure of combat sports in the United States and supporter of Donald Trump. Meta had also announced that it would contribute, like Amazon, to the tune of one million dollars, to the financing of Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony on January 20. But the shift is radical if we remember that until 2022, one of the most important personalities on Facebook was Sheryl Sandberg, very close to the Democrats. She also supported Kamala Harris during the last presidential election.
Mark Zuckerberg himself was associated with the Democratic and liberal camp…
Yes, we even talked about him in the 2010s as a possible candidate for the White House for the Democrats! And his relations with Trump have long been stormy, abrasive. In 2016, the election of Trump was partly attributed to a lack of vigilance by Facebook in the face of disinformation, we remember the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal [sur la fuite de données personnelles de millions d’utilisateurs du réseau, NDLR]. Mark Zuckerberg, widely criticized for this, went to make an act of contrition before the American Senate. Then in January 2021, after the assault on the Capitol, he banned Trump from Facebook. The change of foot is therefore complete.
What are the “community notes” which, according to Mark Zuckerberg, will initially replace “fact-checking” on Facebook and Instagram in the United States?
It is a tool already widely used on X: it is peers, other users who correct most of the content deemed problematic, like Wikipedia. The company no longer assumes moderation alone.
“Almighty as he is, Mark Zuckerberg wants to secure his group and adapt to a political context that has evolved”
How do you explain this change in strategy?
Caution, no doubt. Almighty as he is, Mark Zuckerberg wants to secure his group and adapt to a political context that has evolved. The savings then: moderation, checking billions of contents on a daily basis, it costs a lot of money! By banking on moderation which will now come largely from users, Meta will save a lot of money… But the key parameter, which we do not emphasize enough, is the issue of artificial intelligence, which completely the cards among the tech giants. We are witnessing a fierce war on the AI front, an intensive race for talent and investments, on a global scale, between Americans and Chinese in particular, which mobilizes a lot of resources. Many Silicon Valley executives feel that Donald Trump will defend their interests more offensively against China.
Has Silicon Valley really “flipped” behind Donald Trump?
In reality, it’s more contrasting. Powerful and well-known leaders, Musk, Zuckerberg, have indeed evolved over the last two years in this direction. They have heavily criticized the Biden administration or certain Democratic governors for wanting to put in place regulations, or more tax rules. But a majority of leaders in the Valley, less emblematic, supported Kamala Harris this fall.
“Many Silicon Valley executives feel Trump will be more offensive against China”
Mark Zuckerberg is said to have allegiance to Trump, doesn’t he also have allegiance to Elon Musk?
Yes, obviously. Given the current power of Elon Musk, and his proximity to the president, Mark Zuckerberg must have considered that it was better not to have him against you.
What do you think of the “free speech” argument?
This is an argument of major importance in the United States: let us not forget that “free speech” appears in the First Amendment to the American Constitution. But this philosophical argument is here put at the service of economic opportunism. For tech companies, “freedom of expression” is capital. It’s money, it’s masses of data that can be monetized.
Isn’t this very worrying for the quality of information and for the work of journalists?
This is a new stage in the weakening of so-called traditional media. For thirty years, platforms have used the work of journalists to generate traffic while seeking to remunerate them minimally and undermine their legitimacy.
How can the European Union impose its own framework?
The European Union and the regulations it has put in place through the Digital Services Act, DSA [qui impose notamment aux plateformes de lutter elles-mêmes contre les contenus illicites, NDLR] are perceived by American entrepreneurs as an obstacle, a brake, in the global competition that they engage in, in the field of innovation, with China. There are many calls, in reaction to Mark Zuckerberg’s position, for a European response. But in reality, we do not see at this stage any homogeneity on the regulatory responses to be provided.
What did you think, in terms of form, of the video that Mark Zuckerberg posted on Tuesday?
What struck me was his appearance, which also changed a lot. Ten years ago, when he displayed his complicity with Obama, he seemed quite intellectual, chic, trendy. In Tuesday’s video, he is very athletic, wearing a sweatshirt, a necklace, looks like a martial arts champion, as if even in his appearance, he wanted to get closer to the Trumpist base.
(1) Meta’s boss also ended programs designed to promote staff diversity, a new move that aligns the social media giant with Donald Trump, reversing an approach taken for years to create an environment more inclusive.
Related News :