Friday, 5 September 2025
28.4 C
Singapore
32.6 C
Thailand
29.3 C
Indonesia
28.5 C
Philippines

Zuckerberg stands his ground despite staff protest

In response to CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to not moderate an inflammatory Facebook post from President Donald Trump, Facebook staff staged a “virtual walkout” on Monday to protest the inaction. Citing free-speech as his main reason for leaving Trump’s post up about the protests sweeping across the United States and the world, Zuckerberg shared that […]

In response to CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to not moderate an inflammatory Facebook post from President Donald Trump, Facebook staff staged a “virtual walkout” on Monday to protest the inaction.

Citing free-speech as his main reason for leaving Trump’s post up about the protests sweeping across the United States and the world, Zuckerberg shared that “Our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies.”

On 28th May, Trump posted inciteful comments on Facebook and Twitter labelling the Minneapolis protesters as “thugs” and carelessly went on to mention that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Twitter responded swiftly to the latter comment flagging it as “glorifying violence”.

Although the post was not taken down or moderated, Zuckerberg expressed his personal opinion on Trump’s post saying that he has a “visceral negative reaction to this kind of divisive and inflammatory rhetoric.” However, Zuckerberg went on to share that he is also “responsible for reacting not just in my personal capacity but as the leader of an institution committed to free expression.” 

In an attempt to quell the backlash against his social media posts, Trump clarified that what he meant was “looting leads to shooting… I don’t want this to happen, and that’s what the expression put out last night means.”

The inflammatory phrase “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” has its roots in 1960s when Walter Hadley, then-Chief of Police said in a response to civil unrest that the sole way to manage looters and arsonist is to “shoot them on sight”. Trump denies his knowledge on the phrase’s origin sharing that he has “heard that phrase for a long time, I don’t know where it came from, where it originated.”

Zuckerberg on the other hand, acknowledge that he was aware of the phrase’s historical reference but explained that his reasons for leaving the post up was for public knowledge noting that “the National Guard references meant we read it as a warning about state action, and we think people need to know if the government is planning to deploy force,” 

Brandon Dail, a Facebook employee disagreed with how Zuckerberg handled the matter and lambasted the founder in his Twitter post “It’s crystal clear today that leadership refuses to stand with us.” Addressing staff’s concern and acknowledging how his decision had unsettled them, a spokeswoman shared that Zuckerberg clarified that an in-depth review was done and the decision to leave the post as it is was a right one.

This is not the first time that the Facebook CEO had refused to moderate posts that contain misinformation and/or held menacing tones – further boldening Zuckerberg’s reputation and his opinion that as the world’s leading social network, free speech should prevail.

Hot this week

Canon Singapore and NLB expand cartridge recycling programme with new green pledge

Canon Singapore and NLB expand cartridge recycling to more libraries with the Inkfinity Green Pledge, supporting Singapore’s Zero Waste goals.

Google denies claims of a major Gmail security issue

Google denies claims of a major Gmail security breach, reassuring users that phishing protections remain highly effective.

Escape from Tarkov set to launch on Steam as full release approaches

Escape from Tarkov will launch on Steam ahead of its 1.0 release in November 2025, following years of beta testing and controversy.

Google Play Games to introduce new profiles with stats and social features

Google is introducing new Play Games profiles on Android, featuring gaming stats, achievements, and social tools, rolling out from 23 September.

Anthropic updates Claude chatbot policy to use chat data for AI training

Anthropic will utilise Claude chatbot conversations for AI training starting from 28 September, with opt-out options and a five-year data retention policy.

MOVA Z60 Ultra Roller Complete review: A robot vacuum that edges past the competition

The MOVA Z60 Ultra Roller Complete combines scrubbing mop power, strong suction, and pet-friendly AI for Singapore homes. With StepMaster threshold climbing and a self-cleaning dock, it delivers one of the most complete cleaning solutions today.

Kahoot!: Enabling the future of learning across APAC through AI, localisation and cross-sector engagement

Kahoot! expands in APAC with AI-powered tools, localised content, and a cross-sector strategy to meet the region’s evolving learning needs.

HubSpot unveils Loop Marketing playbook to drive growth in AI era

HubSpot launches Loop Marketing playbook and over 200 AI updates to help businesses grow in the era of AI search and zero-click results.

One in three Australian workers expose company data to AI platforms, Josys warns

Over a third of Australian workers upload sensitive data to AI tools, with Josys warning of rising risks from shadow AI and weak governance.

Related Articles

Popular Categories