Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg: We don't allow misinformation in our ads

The CEOs of Facebook, Twitter and Google will face Congress on Thursday to discuss misinformation and defend the liability shield that helped establish their platforms.

In written testimony that will be delivered to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey discussed how their platforms reflect the society at-large.

“Our society is deeply divided, and we see that on our services too,” Zuckerberg said in the remarks. Dorsey talked about the “trust deficit” that impacts the entire “information ecosystem.”

Testimony from the three CEOs has become a regular occurrence in Congress over the past year as the companies have been pushed to defend their competitive practices and content moderation policies. Thursday’s hearing will be Zuckerberg’s fourth testimony before Congress since July. It will be the third for Dorsey and Google’s Sundar Pichai over that same period.

Here’s what they plan to say, according to their written remarks:

Facebook

Zuckerberg plans to tell Congress that political and hateful content makes up only a small fraction of what Facebook users see. Political posts account for only about 6% of what U.S. users see in their News Feeds, according to Zuckerberg, and the prevalence of hateful content users see is less than 0.08%.

Zuckerberg will outline the steps Facebook has taken to combat misinformation on the company’s platforms around the election and Covid-19. Facebook uses fact-checkers to help debunk false information and seeks to crack down on pages spreading and monetizing false content. The company has invested in local news and promoted authoritative sources about the virus and vaccine to promote vetted information.

He also plans to discuss Facebook’s efforts to remove hateful content from its platforms, which have resulted in over 250 white supremacist groups and 890 militarized social movements being removed to date. Facebook has been enforcing rules to prevent QAnon and militia groups from organizing on its platform. It has also banned hate groups including the Proud Boys, Zuckerberg will say.

Finally, Zuckerberg will advise lawmakers on how they should reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the law that protects platforms from becoming liable for their users’ posts. Zuckerberg will tell lawmakers they should focus on transparency and consider making the protection contingent upon companies’ ability to meet best practices to prevent the spread of unlawful content.

Instead of holding platforms responsible for individual pieces of content that fall through the cracks of its policies, Zuckerberg will argue they should be assessed on the adequacy of their systems to address unlawful content. What constitutes an adequate system should depend on the size of the platform and set by a third party that ensures the practices and fair and clear, according to Zuckerberg.

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[myopinion]

Actually you don't allow information you disagree with. It doesn't mean that it's misinformation it just means it's information you don't agree with! in case you don't know, the first amendment isn't about your opinion only.

[vidacara]

I don't know how a soul can trust a word Zuckerberg says.

[kaimana]

He's following Powell's logic: " Anyone who thinks there is misinformation in our ads is clearly an idiot". FB revenue is build on misleading ads. What a tool.

[davidw]

I think the wolf hounds of hell are coming for these tyrants!!!!

[rameshpun]

Boycott FB. Always pops with stupid ads even if you block them. The reason I do not use anymore but I like the bloody stock though

[learkingofalbion]

In a few weeks, I’d love to hear Zuck explain how it is he determines what facts are today, and what he plans to do in the future about getting the big facts right before censoring.

[Hecticam]

"Once upon a time when I was a lizard in White Plains..."

[fabiolibroia]

If we would apply the right law
All this company created in a garage would be shut down but because they have mercy they keep warning you
But the day will come and they will lost a 1/4 of every single merchant thought

[colechillen]

Wow! How did he say that without laughing?

[anonamous]

no wrong think...only what we tell you to think

[chrisw]

Their ads are full of LIES. Constant stream of them Meanwhile blocking out truth.

[GLORYWIELDERS]

The bill she is talking about is a censor law. Free speech is what has kept us free people. That and our ability to freely elect people to offices ( I stopped saying "leadership" a long time ago), and defend ourselves against tyranous acts. The foundational freedoms established in this country was done the way it was because they knew how it happened to them. First, they oppressed their freedom of speech, then their firearms, then their freedom of religion, then their ability have any freedoms. All the laws were put down because they knew what a tyrant would do and how he would go about it. Instead of educating, we have been indoctrinating, and therefore there's no one out there who really knows the whole histories go back and find some old books, and read those histories!

[elizabethreneemartin]

That's not true. There are generic adds floating around everywhere on the web of internet.

[joakos]

Sounds like sometHing a lizard would say

[the_DOS]

Stop interrupting when they are talking!

[dschdsch]

I remember when he said "when I was a human..." stuttering big time...and everyone was laughing as if it's a joke.

[sislertx]

NOTHING WAS UNDER OATH...ALL.LIES AND LEGAL.FOENTHEM TO.DO SO

[londonstannow]

Full free speech, people should decide to believe the info for themselves. But also accept the consequences aftermath.

[larryulrich]

How come conservative misinformation seems to always become facts?

[Tom-iwzh]

If Mr. Zuckerberg knew the outcome of where he is heading, I assure you he would change direction immediately. Intellect is not wisdom. Wealth is not righteousness. In the end wisdom and righteousness wins. This world will go through more hardship, pain, and suffering than it has ever had since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, for the losing team, it only gets far worse. The only advice we can give is for all to REPENT before it is too late.