New emails were unsealed and spotted this week The Verge show Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg suggesting the company should do less research on how its platforms harm users, bizarrely citing Apple as a role model to follow.
The email was sent in 2021 based on a message from The Wall Street Journal that Meta was more than aware that Instagram was “toxic for teenage girls” and had done in-depth research on the subject.
In a subsequent email to Sheryl Sandberg, then COO of Meta, and Nick Clegg, head of global affairs, Zuckerberg suggested that Meta should less of this proactive research. Zuckerberg cited Apple as an inspiration for the idea:
“Apple, for example, doesn’t seem to be studying any of this. From what I understand, they don’t have anyone controlling or moderating the content, and they don’t even have a message flow in iMessage. They’ve taken the approach that it’s people’s own responsibility what they do on the platform, and by Apple not taking that responsibility, they haven’t created the staff or the plethora of business studies that surprise them.”
Zuckerberg also referred to Apple’s plans to detect known CSAM images when they are stored in iCloud Photos, which the company announced in 2021. However, after backlash from privacy advocates, Apple backed away from the initiative.
The Verge explains:
While Apple appeared to avoid criticism, according to Zuckerberg Met, it instead “faced more criticism” for reporting more child sexual abuse material (CSAM), which “seems like there’s more of that behavior on our platforms.” On the other hand, he noted, “When Apple tried to do something with CSAM, they were heavily criticized for it, which may encourage them to double down on their original approach.”
However, Zuckerberg seems to overlook that Apple is not in the social media business (RIP Ping). Meta operates two of the largest social media platforms in the world, which is why it should proactively investigate how these platforms affect users. Zuckerberg’s comparison to iMessage, an end-to-end encrypted messaging platform, makes no sense.
Of course, Apple also offers a number of research-based digital well-being features, including screen time, tools for kids’ accounts, communication safety, and more.
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