After Politico reported that Mark Zuckerberg held private dinners with a number of prominent conservatives, leftists encouraged others to #DeleteFacebook.
Politico reported on Monday that Zuckerberg had begun holding various small, private dinners with conservative activists from July of this year. Guests included Sen. Lindsay Graham, Tucker Carlson and Ben Shapiro, to name a few. The article noted that this was an effort to redress the political imbalance of the site, and try to gain the trust of conservatives who have been so critical of the platform in the past. Leftists were instantly mad online that Zuckerberg had dared to reach out across the aisle, and started to encourage people to #DeleteFacebook in protest:
What do you have to lose? Endless holiday photographs of people you barely know, videos of stupid stunts to announce the sex of an unborn baby, the cyber bullying of young people.
Oh, and far right, racist propaganda. #DeleteFacebook
— Helen the Zen (@helenmallam) October 15, 2019
You could maybe believe that Zucks was just “listening to other view points” if he was also listening to BLM activists, or sitting down w/ @AOC, or talking to Greta Thunberg. He’s huddling with monsters for a reason. If you can, #DeleteFacebook and if not, minimize your FB time https://t.co/qh028Dsn7C
— Pam Keith (@PamKeithFL) October 15, 2019
So not only does Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg steal our private information for money, but they also steal our sovereign elections for power. Privacy, like freedom, isn’t free. The cost is our country and our future, which we’re not willing to pay anymore. Enough. #DeleteFacebook
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) October 14, 2019
I stopped actively posting on @Facebook in 2016 after it was revealed that it helped elect the orange fecal smear. Now #DeleteFacebook seems like the best course of action. Yes, I’m still on IG but I feel it does less to push the trump agenda. Less older white supremacists. 👌🏻 https://t.co/D5jOTqjyAQ
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) October 14, 2019
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In a post to his Facebook profile, Zuckerberg defended the meetings, and encouraged those criticising him to reach out to people who have different opinions:
There’s some press today discussing dinners I’ve had with conservative politicians, media and thinkers. To be clear, I have dinners with lots of people across the spectrum on lots of different issues all the time. Meeting new people and hearing from a wide range of viewpoints is part of learning. If you haven’t tried it, I suggest you do!
READ MORE: FLASHBACK: Facebook Admits It Shares Data with China
Prominent conservatives were quick to fire back on the #DeleteFacebook trend, noting that many who tweeted the hashtag would not actually follow through with their threat:
Breaking: 100% of people tweeting #DeleteFacebook will not delete Facebook.
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) October 15, 2019
The Left is pushing the hashtag #DeleteFacebook,
because Mark Zuckerberg had meetings with conservative politicians, and commentators… in an effort to make the platform less biased.
The Left give the most lip service on tolerance, yet they turn out to be the most intolerant.
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) October 14, 2019
BREAKING:
Two years ago FB Live literally broadcasted a special needs teen being kidnapped and harassed.
No one said a word…
Mark Zuckerburg has a CONVERSATION with @TuckerCarlson and the whole world loses its mind?!
Talk about “Tolerance”
RT!
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) October 14, 2019
This is why #DeleteFacebook is trending?! Because he literally SPOKE with conservatives? Behold, the tolerant left… https://t.co/WH92akkke7
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) October 14, 2019
People who claim they value diversity, inclusion and tolerance are boycotting @Facebook because Mark Zuckerberg dared to speak to Republicans about issues they have with big tech. Seems like these tolerant people are being pretty bigoted & fascist, doesn’t it? #DeleteFacebook
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 14, 2019
READ MORE: FACEBOOK: Entire Pages Get Literally Shadowbanned When Admins Get Banned
The #DeleteFacebook hashtag had previously trended in 2018, after it was revealed that the Trump campaign used data from the site to help target adverts and ensure his victory in the 2016 Presidential election. Even the founder of WhatsApp, now owned by Facebook, joined in:
It is time. #deletefacebook
— Brian Acton (@brianacton) March 20, 2018
