It seems a long way from the time when Facebook was accused of being pro-democrat. The company, since renamed Meta, defended itself in 2016 from any political bias, highlighting its neutrality. Now, his famous boss Mark Zuckerberg is abandoning this veneer of objectivity to launch himself into the maw of far-right discourse.
After announcing the end of the fact-checking system and a change in its moderation in the United States, the boss of Silicon Valley is pursuing an unexpected conservative turn. End of programs designed to promote staff diversity at Meta, comments on a “culturally emasculated business world”, regrets for having “given too much credit” to the media in the past… These “anti-woke” positions » are all the more surprising since Mark Zuckerberg “has often been presented in opposition to Elon Musk, appearing as someone balanced, controlled, who weighs his words”, notes Francesca Musiani, researcher at the Center Internet and society (CIS) of the CNRS.
Donald Trump’s seduction operation
So how can we explain this reversal? Several factors undoubtedly come into play, but one week before Donald Trump’s inauguration at the White House, how can we not make a direct link with the Republican president’s return to power?
In 2021, the then former head of state took his ouster from Facebook particularly badly. Last September, then a candidate for re-election, Donald Trump even threatened the American tech leader with “life in prison” if he interfered in the campaign. We are then witnessing a “kind of turning point, a political campaign and seduction with regard to Donald Trump”, analyzes sociologist Olivier Alexandre, specialist in the digital industry, on France Info.
According to him, Meta’s boss is simply “trying to save his skin and his company”. An internal Meta memo explains that “the legal and political landscape around diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing.” Mark Zuckerberg feels the wind turning and takes a 180° turn.
Make friends with Elon Musk
“Mark Zuckerberg is a mega opportunist who is seeking the future of the Meta ecosystem, with narrative speeches in harmony with freedom of expression with an extreme right flavor,” summarizes Francesca Musiani. It is also to please Elon Musk, who has made a place for himself in the White House, that this competitor adopts the SpaceX boss’s flagship themes.
The two men are not known to like each other and their relationship did not improve when Mark Zuckerberg launched Thread in 2023, in direct response to Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter. Now that the latter is in a position of strength on the political scene, “Mark Zuckerberg has been forced to revise his copy,” deciphers the CNRS researcher. Far from him the idea of stepping on the toes of the boss of
New management for four years
This shift takes place in a context. That of a whole panel of tech business leaders who bowed down to Donald Trump promising millions of dollars for his inauguration. More generally, “Mark Zuckerberg responds to a changing world, he adapts, all of Silicon Valley’s positions have changed in quality and intensity,” underlines Francesca Musiani. And added: “He is aware that at least for a few years, Donald Trump will establish the environment in which Meta will evolve. »
Our file on Mark Zuckerberg
And after? In four years, nothing says that another character as sulphurous and on the extreme right will be elected to the American presidency. If a Democrat returns to power, “it will be difficult to turn back for Mark Zuckerberg, he has crossed barriers”, estimates Francesca Musiani.
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