How Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is preparing for the new Donald Trump era

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Meta seems to be switching things up in a big way. During a chat with Joe Rogan on his podcast on January 10, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hinted at a major cultural and operational pivot at the tech giant—one that might sync nicely with the incoming Trump administration. And, let’s be honest, this feels like more than just a coincidence.

A Call for ‘Masculine Energy’

Zuckerberg didn’t hold back when he called the current corporate world “neutered” and “emasculated”. He said it’s time to bring back some “masculine energy” to the workplace, suggesting that corporate culture has become a bit too soft for his liking. “It’s about balance,” he explained, saying both masculine and feminine dynamics are important. But it’s pretty clear he thinks we’ve gone too far in one direction.

It’s not hard to see how this ties into Trump’s rhetoric. During his presidency, Trump often painted himself as a champion of traditional values and toughness, famously saying, “Nobody’s stronger than me.” Zuckerberg’s comments seem to echo that vibe, especially when Meta’s new policies are taken into account.

Diversity Takes a Backseat

On the same day as the podcast, Meta announced the end of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In a memo, Janelle Gale, Meta’s vice president of people, said that the company “will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds, but we will stop using the Diverse Slate Approach”.

The note added that Meta is also dissolving its DEI team, with Meta Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams transitioning to a new role focused on accessibility and engagement.

On the podcast, Zuckerberg argued that these programmes have unfairly targeted masculinity, contributing to what he sees as a “neutered” corporate environment.

The New York Times reported that two Meta employees said the company told its offices in Silicon Valley, Texas, and New York to remove tampons from men’s restrooms, which had been made available for nonbinary and transgender workers.

404 Media also reported that Meta removed nonbinary and transgender themes from its Messenger app. These themes, introduced during Pride Month, allowed users to customise chat designs with the colours of the transgender and nonbinary flags.

Meta updated its “Hateful Conduct” policy, now allowing posts that call LGBTQ people “mentally ill”. The policy states that such posts are permitted due to political and religious discussions about transgender and LGBTQ issues. The policy also allows posts discussing job restrictions based on gender and the use of gender-specific language for spaces like bathrooms, schools, and certain jobs.

CNBC reported that both current and former employees voiced concerns that marginalised communities may experience increased online abuse as a result of the new policy, which is expected to take effect in the coming weeks.

This shift isn’t just about internal culture—it’s a strategic decision that aligns with Trump-era criticism of “woke” policies. Remember when Trump called such initiatives “toxic propaganda” during his presidency? It seems Meta might be taking a page out of that playbook.

The Content Moderation Overhaul

Another big change: Meta’s ditching its traditional content moderation approach in favour of a user-driven system called “Community Notes.” It’s a model similar to what Elon Musk has implemented on X (formerly Twitter) where instead of a fact-checking team, users on the platform share their notes on misinformation.

During her keynote address at CES 2025, X CEO Linda Yaccarino praised Meta’s move, saying that the company has come to realise that community notes “[is] the most effective, fastest fact checking without bias”.

Fox News reporter Brooke Singman stated that Trump responded to the approach by saying Meta has “come a long way.”

The timing of this shift is interesting, especially considering Trump’s ongoing battle with Big Tech. He’s long accused platforms of silencing conservative voices and even launched his own social media platform, Truth Social, to counteract what he calls “censorship.”

By adopting a more hands-off approach, Meta could be signalling that it’s ready to play ball with a more free-speech-friendly administration.

In a video posted last Tuesday, Zuckerberg announced that Meta plans to bring political discussions back to Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

“We’re bringing back civic content,” Zuckerberg said. “For a while, the community wanted less politics because it was stressing people out, so we stopped recommending these posts. But now, we’re hearing that people want to see this content again.”

He also mentioned that the recent election influenced the company’s decision to change its fact-checking system and focus more on “prioritising speech.” Meta plans to collaborate with Trump’s future administration to “push back on governments that are trying to censor American companies.”

Zuckerberg stressed that the US government’s support is key to resisting global censorship efforts, noting it has been tough over the past four years, especially with the US pushing for censorship itself.

Is Meta Courting Favour with Trump?

Whether intentional or not, Zuckerberg’s recent moves feel like they’re catering to the Trump base. From scrapping DEI programmes to loosening content moderation, these policy changes align with key conservative talking points.

Meta isn’t the only company seeking to mend its relationship with Trump. Meta, along with other tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Apple and Adobe are each donating $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund.

However, the drastic measures Meta is taking reflect the intense animosity Trump has expressed over the years.

Trump has repeatedly accused Meta of censorship, particularly resenting the two-year suspension of his Facebook and Instagram accounts following the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.

In July 2024, Trump posted on Truth Social that he planned to “pursue Election Fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time,” adding, “ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!” He also reiterated this sentiment in his book, Save America, claiming Zuckerberg conspired against him during the 2020 election and warning that the Meta CEO would “spend the rest of his life in prison” if it happened again.

What This Means for Meta

So, where does this leave Meta? On one hand, the company could gain goodwill from a Trump-led government, opening doors for growth and reducing regulatory pressure. On the other, these shifts could alienate employees and users who don’t share the same values.

Either way, it’s a bold move for a company already navigating tricky waters. Zuckerberg’s vision might bring in some of that “masculine energy” he’s after—but whether it will lead to a stronger Meta or a fractured one remains to be seen.

Also Read: Ashwini Vaishnaw slams Mark Zuckerberg for implying NDA lost 2024 election



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How Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is preparing for the new Donald Trump era



Meta seems to be switching things up in a big way. During a chat with Joe Rogan on his podcast on January 10, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hinted at a major cultural and operational pivot at the tech giant—one that might sync nicely with the incoming Trump administration. And, let’s be honest, this feels like more than just a coincidence.

A Call for ‘Masculine Energy’

Zuckerberg didn’t hold back when he called the current corporate world “neutered” and “emasculated”. He said it’s time to bring back some “masculine energy” to the workplace, suggesting that corporate culture has become a bit too soft for his liking. “It’s about balance,” he explained, saying both masculine and feminine dynamics are important. But it’s pretty clear he thinks we’ve gone too far in one direction.

It’s not hard to see how this ties into Trump’s rhetoric. During his presidency, Trump often painted himself as a champion of traditional values and toughness, famously saying, “Nobody’s stronger than me.” Zuckerberg’s comments seem to echo that vibe, especially when Meta’s new policies are taken into account.

Diversity Takes a Backseat

On the same day as the podcast, Meta announced the end of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In a memo, Janelle Gale, Meta’s vice president of people, said that the company “will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds, but we will stop using the Diverse Slate Approach”.

The note added that Meta is also dissolving its DEI team, with Meta Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams transitioning to a new role focused on accessibility and engagement.

On the podcast, Zuckerberg argued that these programmes have unfairly targeted masculinity, contributing to what he sees as a “neutered” corporate environment.

The New York Times reported that two Meta employees said the company told its offices in Silicon Valley, Texas, and New York to remove tampons from men’s restrooms, which had been made available for nonbinary and transgender workers.

404 Media also reported that Meta removed nonbinary and transgender themes from its Messenger app. These themes, introduced during Pride Month, allowed users to customise chat designs with the colours of the transgender and nonbinary flags.

Meta updated its “Hateful Conduct” policy, now allowing posts that call LGBTQ people “mentally ill”. The policy states that such posts are permitted due to political and religious discussions about transgender and LGBTQ issues. The policy also allows posts discussing job restrictions based on gender and the use of gender-specific language for spaces like bathrooms, schools, and certain jobs.

CNBC reported that both current and former employees voiced concerns that marginalised communities may experience increased online abuse as a result of the new policy, which is expected to take effect in the coming weeks.

This shift isn’t just about internal culture—it’s a strategic decision that aligns with Trump-era criticism of “woke” policies. Remember when Trump called such initiatives “toxic propaganda” during his presidency? It seems Meta might be taking a page out of that playbook.

The Content Moderation Overhaul

Another big change: Meta’s ditching its traditional content moderation approach in favour of a user-driven system called “Community Notes.” It’s a model similar to what Elon Musk has implemented on X (formerly Twitter) where instead of a fact-checking team, users on the platform share their notes on misinformation.

During her keynote address at CES 2025, X CEO Linda Yaccarino praised Meta’s move, saying that the company has come to realise that community notes “[is] the most effective, fastest fact checking without bias”.

Fox News reporter Brooke Singman stated that Trump responded to the approach by saying Meta has “come a long way.”

The timing of this shift is interesting, especially considering Trump’s ongoing battle with Big Tech. He’s long accused platforms of silencing conservative voices and even launched his own social media platform, Truth Social, to counteract what he calls “censorship.”

By adopting a more hands-off approach, Meta could be signalling that it’s ready to play ball with a more free-speech-friendly administration.

In a video posted last Tuesday, Zuckerberg announced that Meta plans to bring political discussions back to Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

“We’re bringing back civic content,” Zuckerberg said. “For a while, the community wanted less politics because it was stressing people out, so we stopped recommending these posts. But now, we’re hearing that people want to see this content again.”

He also mentioned that the recent election influenced the company’s decision to change its fact-checking system and focus more on “prioritising speech.” Meta plans to collaborate with Trump’s future administration to “push back on governments that are trying to censor American companies.”

Zuckerberg stressed that the US government’s support is key to resisting global censorship efforts, noting it has been tough over the past four years, especially with the US pushing for censorship itself.

Is Meta Courting Favour with Trump?

Whether intentional or not, Zuckerberg’s recent moves feel like they’re catering to the Trump base. From scrapping DEI programmes to loosening content moderation, these policy changes align with key conservative talking points.

Meta isn’t the only company seeking to mend its relationship with Trump. Meta, along with other tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Apple and Adobe are each donating $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund.

However, the drastic measures Meta is taking reflect the intense animosity Trump has expressed over the years.

Trump has repeatedly accused Meta of censorship, particularly resenting the two-year suspension of his Facebook and Instagram accounts following the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.

In July 2024, Trump posted on Truth Social that he planned to “pursue Election Fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time,” adding, “ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!” He also reiterated this sentiment in his book, Save America, claiming Zuckerberg conspired against him during the 2020 election and warning that the Meta CEO would “spend the rest of his life in prison” if it happened again.

What This Means for Meta

So, where does this leave Meta? On one hand, the company could gain goodwill from a Trump-led government, opening doors for growth and reducing regulatory pressure. On the other, these shifts could alienate employees and users who don’t share the same values.

Either way, it’s a bold move for a company already navigating tricky waters. Zuckerberg’s vision might bring in some of that “masculine energy” he’s after—but whether it will lead to a stronger Meta or a fractured one remains to be seen.

Also Read: Ashwini Vaishnaw slams Mark Zuckerberg for implying NDA lost 2024 election



Source link

Disclaimer

We strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in all of our reporting and coverage. We StartupNews.fyi want to be transparent with our readers about any potential conflicts of interest that may arise in our work. It’s possible that some of the investors we feature may have connections to other businesses, including competitors or companies we write about. However, we want to assure our readers that this will not have any impact on the integrity or impartiality of our reporting. We are committed to delivering accurate, unbiased news and information to our audience, and we will continue to uphold our ethics and principles in all of our work. Thank you for your trust and support.

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