'He is part of this problem': AOC says Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook are 'partially responsible' for the Capitol riot and says that Congress should hold tech titans accountable because 'they allowed it'
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) assigned partial blame to Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg for last week's riot on the Capitol, highlighting qualms she raised last year when challenging the social media's attack on disinformation.
Speaking during a Friday town hall meeting, Ocasio-Cortez said that Facebook was 'trying to do as much damage control as possible.'
'But they knew,' she asserted. 'Not only did they know but they allowed it.'
Speaking during a Friday town hall meeting, AOC said that Facebook was 'trying to do as much damage control as possible'
AOC brought up the Congressional hearing where Zuckerberg and other big tech giants testified about how they were tackling disinformation leading up to the 2020 Presidential election.
'We knew this was a problem,' she said. 'We knew this so far out that pre-COVID, I asked him specifically about election disinformation and its ties on Facebook to White supremacist organizations, and the ties that 'fact-checking organizations' had to other White supremacist outlets ... and he wouldn't answer. So, there's a very clear link here.'
She declared of Mark: 'He is part of this problem. And Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook bear partial responsibility for Wednesday's events, period.'
AOC brought up the Congressional hearing where Zuckerberg and other big tech giants testified about how they were tackling disinformation
Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol on January 6
She declared of Mark: 'He is part of this problem. And Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook bear partial responsibility for Wednesday's events, period'
Following the Capitol riots, Facebook suspended Trump's access to his page.
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg has sought to distance the platform from any blame for the attack in D.C..
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg has sought to distance the platform from any blame for the attack in D.C.
Speaking with Reuters, Sandberg said that Facebook had already removed QAnon, the Proud Boys and mention of #StoptheSteal off of the platform.
'Our enforcement's never perfect, so I'm sure there were still things on Facebook... I think these events were largely organized on platforms that don't have our abilities to stop hate, and don't have our standards and don't have our transparency,' she said.
AOC's remarks come as Facebook has announced that it will review all inauguration-related events and remove ones that violate site policies. They will also block events created in the U.S. by foreign based accounts and pages.
'We're monitoring for signals of violence or other threats both in Washington, D.C. and across all 50 states,' Facebook said in a statement, CBS News reports. '... as we did in the weeks after the presidential election, we are promoting accurate information about the election and the violence at the Capitol instead of content that our systems predict may be less accurate, delegitimizes the election or portrays the rioters as victims.'
Facebook is blocking the creation of new events ahead of inauguration - and those made by foreign pages
Facebook has announced that it will review all inauguration-related events and remove ones that violate site policies. They will also block events created in the U.S. by foreign based accounts and pages.
'We're monitoring for signals of violence or other threats both in Washington, D.C. and across all 50 states,' Facebook said in a statement, CBS News reports. '... as we did in the weeks after the presidential election, we are promoting accurate information about the election and the violence at the Capitol instead of content that our systems predict may be less accurate, delegitimizes the election or portrays the rioters as victims.'
The platform said it will also continue to pause political advertising and is restricting some features for users "who repeatedly violate policies."
Those who fall under the designation will not be able to create live videos or make events, groups, or pages.