Mark Zuckerberg's recent policy changes to Meta, announced on January 7, represent a perilous shift that threatens the safety and dignity of marginalized groups. By replacing fact-checking teams with user-driven notes and dismantling DEI programs under the guise of promoting "free speech," the company has signaled a troubling alignment with extremist rhetoric.
While the updated policies ostensibly prohibit hate speech targeting protected characteristics, they explicitly permit harmful accusations of "mental illness or abnormality" tied to gender or sexual orientation. This loophole effectively legitimizes bigotry against vulnerable communities, particularly queer and trans individuals like myself, as well as racial minorities and immigrants.
Far from fostering an open exchange of ideas, these changes risk normalizing discrimination and creating an online ecosystem where hate is amplified under the veneer of political or religious discourse. ~American Belle