Clegg: Facebook is mainly 'barbecues and bar mitzvahs'

Sir Nick Clegg, Meta's head of global affairs, has defended the firm formerly known as Facebook at the Web Summit. "The fundamental assertion that Meta algorithmically spoon-feeds hateful content because that increases our profits" was wrong, he said. "The caricature in the media is the idea that people are helplessly receiving a content menu served up by the Facebook algorithm," he said. Sir Nick said the firm had considered delaying the Meta rebrand and the new focus on the metaverse in the wake of Frances Haugen's appearance before politicians in the US and the UK, and subsequent media coverage. Asked if Meta would be acting on the criticism raised by Ms Haugen, he cited the example of how its use of a cross-check program - a system that looked at the content of high-profile accounts - had been referred to its oversight board.

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