Mark Zuckerberg says he'll meet 'leading conservatives' after Facebook political suppression claims

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

published 13 May 2016

On Thursday night, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed the charges that his social network's Trending Topics feature suppresses conservative articles. In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg said he and his staff "take this report very seriously and are conducting a full investigation" into the allegations published in Gizmodo, but that "we have found no evidence that this report is true." He added that he wants to ensure that "our platform stays as open as possible," and toward that end, "in the coming weeks, I'll also be inviting leading conservatives and people from across the political spectrum to talk with me about this and share their points of view."

On Tuesday, Sen. John Thune (R-S.C.) demanded an explanation from Zuckerberg, including about how Facebook "investigates claims of politically motivated manipulation."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.