Zuckerberg sucking up to Trump? Updated Meta rules remove LGBTQ+ censorship

Meta revises content policy and drops some LGBTQ+ protections

As global winds shift, less and less is being given to the LGBTQ+ community, as shown by the decision of Mark Zuckerberg, founder of the social platform Meta (Facebook), to reduce protections for such communities on the social platforms he owns and to relax hate speech rules.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has revised its hate speech rules, removing some LGBTQ protections and overhauling its content moderation policies.

The updated guidelines now allow users to claim that LGBTQ people are mentally ill and to advocate for gender-based job restrictions in fields such as law enforcement and education, as long as such views are linked to religious beliefs^[1].

CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the changes as an effort to "simplify policy, reduce mistakes and restore freedom of expression". He also announced the end of the third-party Meta fact-checking app, replacing it with a user-driven system called Community Notes, similar to Elon Musk's Platform X feature.

Zuckerberg said the amendments are intended to prioritize open debate and called the recent elections a "cultural turning point" for free speech.

To repair relations with President-elect Trump, Zuckerberg met with him and donated USD 1 million to his inauguration fund. Trump praised the changes, saying that "Meta" has come a "long way" and hinted that they might be a response to his earlier criticism.

The specific changes resulting from the update of the content rules

The new changes are said to weaken protections for LGBTQ+ people, women, and immigrants and allow previously banned rhetoric, such as claims of mental illness related to gender or sexual orientation, as well as other previously tightly regulated claims.

Meta has also discontinued its third-party fact-checking program, replacing it with a user-driven "Community Comments" system, which critics say can be manipulated. In addition, the company plans to reintroduce political posts and news into users' feeds, adding to concerns about divisive content.

Political and news content is also reinstated, and the term "hate speech" is changed to "hateful behavior" to soften its meaning.

GLAAD and other groups have warned that these changes allegedly normalize hate speech and put marginalized communities at risk. In response, some users prefer alternative platforms, such as Bluesky and Mastodon, emphasizing safety and inclusion.

Keep your friend close and your enemy even closer: Zuckerberg wants to ingratiate himself with Musk?

Zuckerberg has described the changes as a response to what he calls the increasing "censorship" by governments and the old media and sees them as a way to prioritize speech after a "cultural tipping point" following the recent Republican-led election^[2].

Although Zuckerberg has declared Meta a champion of free speech, critics argue that these changes are aimed at the right wing, especially given Meta's attempts to attract conservative figures. This change is seen as an attempt to challenge the growing influence of Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter), which has become a platform for unfiltered political speeches.

E. Musk has built a strong relationship with former President Trump and the right-wing, and Zuckerberg's new approach may be an attempt to compete with Musk's dominance in the political and social media sphere.

In addition to content moderation, Meta is also focusing on artificial intelligence, launching new initiatives such as the Llama models, and trying to revitalize its influence by adopting a more conservative corporate leadership. Meta's board includes figures such as UFC President Dana White, a Trump supporter.

Despite these efforts, Zuckerberg is still considered to be lagging behind Musk both in terms of social media influence and technological advances, as Musk's X has already redefined the social media space due to his "free speech" stance.

Critics argue that the changes initiated by Zuckerberg reflect his attempt to curry favor with right-wing political supporters.

For Trump's inauguration, the CEO of Meta donated €1 million. USD 1 million

For his part, Zuckerberg donated USD 1 million to Trump's inauguration fund, marking the first step towards a thaw in relations. This donation followed a private meeting at Trump's Mar-A-Lago club after years of tension, including Trump's 2021 threat to jail Zuckerberg for his social media behavior during the last election^[3].

Despite the suspension of Trump's account by Facebook, Zuckerberg has raised concerns about social media censorship and has previously supported candidates for the Senate and Congress.

This donation, together with Zuckerberg's gesture of presenting the newly elected Trump with a pair of Meta Ray-Ban smartglasses and a demonstration of artificial intelligence technology, underlines his attempt to repair his relationship with Trump and his supporters after the 2024 elections,

Zuckerberg did not attend Trump's inauguration in 2017 but is now seeking to become more involved in tech policy in the incoming Trump administration. This move comes amid growing support from Silicon Valley billionaires, including Musk.