CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg has responded to the accusation. That Facebook has actively tried to discredit critics of the company by linking them to George Soros. An influential Jewish philanthropist and Facebook critic. It was the American newspaper the New York Times that reported on that.
According to the New York Times, Facebook has tried to undermine its critics by linking them to the liberal billionaire George Soros. Against whom they would have fed an anti-Semitic smear campaign. Facebook used the services of the PR company Definers to limit the reputation damage of Facebook. After the negative coverage of their role in Russian interference during the US presidential elections in 2016.
The PR company Definers, which normally engages in digging up ‘mud’ of political opponents of the Republicans. Had devised a strategy for Facebook to put Facebook critic Soros in a bad light. And spread the rumour that he was the driving force was behind all the negative news about Facebook. And that critical anti-Facebook groups like ‘Freedom from Facebook’ and ‘Colour of Change’ had financial ties with him.
Freedom from Facebook
Facebook partly confirmed that story in a statement: “Definers has indeed encouraged the press to look into financing Freedom from Facebook. The intention was to show that this is not a spontaneous citizens’ initiative, which it pretends to be. But that it is supported by a well-known and influential critic of our company. Suggest that this is an anti-Semitic attack is objectionable and inaccurate”.
In the same statement, Facebook says it is “wrong to suggest to the New York Times. That we asked Definers to write articles in our name or to distribute false information”.
Zuckerberg.
In a conversation with the press, Zuckerberg said yesterday that he was unaware of the company’s tactics until he read the article in the Times. After reading the article “I called our team and we no longer work with this company”, says Zuckerberg. He said that Facebook should ensure that it does not cooperate with similar companies. “These types of companies may be normal in Washington, but I do not want Facebook to be associated with this,” Zuckerberg added.
