Facebook employees staged a virtual walkout on Monday, with many expressing anger and dismay that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has refused to take down controversial posts from President Donald Trump.
Some context: Trump’s tweet over the weekend, warning that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” was flagged by Twitter as violating the platform’s rules on “glorifying violence.”
It has resurfaced the conversation over social media platforms’ responsibility when it comes to disinformation or violent speech online — and Facebook was notably quiet during this debate, with no similar marker flagging Trump’s post.
Zuckerberg’s response: The CEO said yesterday that though he personally had a “visceral negative reaction” to Trump’s “divisive and inflammatory rhetoric,” he also felt Facebook had a commitment to free expression.
Employees protest: Many Facebook employees are still working from home, so many simply took the day off in protest on Monday.
Others were more vocal, with one posting on Twitter, “I work at Facebook and I am not proud of how we’re showing up.”
Some major corporations are taking the opposite route by taking a clear stand, with some donating millions of dollars to civil rights groups.
