This is one of the biggest about-faces at the start of the year. By making masculinist remarks calling for the revirilization of the Internet, by modifying its conditions of use in favor of relative freedom of expression, by abandoning fact-checking in favor of simple community notes and by putting an end to its diversity program internally, the boss of Meta made an unexpected change of direction. An alignment with the recent decisions of Elon Musk and the policies of Donald Trump which worries: deprived of moderation, are Instagram, Facebook and Threads doomed to disappear?
Women-objects and latent homophobia
While in 2016 it refused to support any political party, the recent decisions of the American company are frowning upon conservative speeches and on the far right. By considerably reducing its moderation rules on hate speech (but not on the question of sexuality, which is increasingly taboo on social networks), the group’s social networks now authorize Internet users to describe women as objects, and homosexuals and transgender peoplementally ill“.
After banning Donald Trump from his platforms during the 2021 American presidential elections, Mark Zuckerberg offers us a great lesson in backpedaling, with opportunistic overtones. The businessman did not hesitate to refer to the president’s coming to power, indicating that “the recent elections represent a tipping point towards a return to prioritizing freedom of expression. We will simplify our rules and remove restrictions on immigration and gender, which are just not in line with public opinion“.
This seduction operation with Donald Trump may well work for Meta. The United States seems to have chosen a return to conservatism, and the shift initiated by Meta could be closely followed by other tech giants.
What future for Facebook, Instagram and Threads in Europe?
And in Europe then? If Meta’s social networks remain in the hands of the American company, they must also comply with the rules in force on the old continent. For the moment therefore, the new directives announced by Mark Zuckerberg will only come into force on American soil. At least this is what the Minister Delegate in charge of Digital, Clara Chappaz, assures, after an exchange with the management of Meta France on January 7.
Since February 2024 in Europe, all platforms must comply with the European Digital Services Regulation (DSA), which imposes on large digital companies the implementation of tools for reporting illegal contentincluding in particular incitement to hatred, which includes homophobic, sexist or transphobic remarks. Once reported, they must be removed quickly, otherwise they will be subject to a penalty. heavy fine of up to 6% of their global turnover. In the event of a repeat offense, the platform may also be banned from the European market.
A DSA too flexible?
If the current regulations leave little room for the change in directives made by Meta, they are also considered insufficient by certain elected officials. Asked by Public Senatecentrist senator Catherine Morin-Desailly believes: “The current regulations are a half-measure, the platforms are not required to account for the content published, unlike the media which are responsible before the law. It is the platforms that make the law. They are more powerful than the States, which, in order not to displease them, are reluctant to regulate them“.
Meta prepares the end of fact-checking in Europe
If Europe seems spared for the moment by the new regulations, Meta seems to be preparing the ground for its enlargement in the European Union. According to information from our colleagues at Contextthe company would have sent a note of intent to the European Commission, in order to prove that even without the support of fact checking organizations on Facebook and Instagram, the latter will still be able to respect the DSA.
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