London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Mark Zuckerberg reacts to NYT report on Facebook using news feed to promote positive stories about itself

Mark Zuckerberg reacts to NYT report on Facebook using news feed to promote positive stories about itself

Zuckerberg blasted the Times report's claim that he used an electric surfboard in a video posted to his personal accounts on July 4

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reacted to a New York Times report that claims he approved a plan dubbed Project Amplify, where the social media giant would use the platform's "news feed" to promote positive coverage of itself to improve its image.

One line of the Times report alleges that, rather than addressing corporate controversies, Zuckerberg decided to post a video of himself riding a "electric surfboard" to his personal accounts on July 4. Zuckerberg fired back on Tuesday, arguing he actually can be seen using a board that has a manual hydrofoil.



"Look, it's one thing for the media to say false things about my work, but it's crossing the line to say I'm riding an electric surfboard when that video clearly shows a hydrofoil that I'm pumping with my own legs," Zuckerberg wrote.

Zuckerberg isn't the only Facebook employee to dispute the Times report.

"There is nothing surprising about a New York Times story that attempts to villainize Facebook for telling its side of the story -- but this article includes such clear falsehoods that were clearly refuted that even we are surprised," Facebook spokesperson Joe Osborne tweeted. "The story salaciously implies we are using News Feed to improve our image, and yet, NYT intentionally clipped my statement which clearly said on the record: "There is zero change to News Feed ranking." This wasn’t important to readers?"


He goes on to say the the Times' reporting of a January meeting in which Project Amplify was discussed is "fake", adding that there was "no named people in attendance or any named source claiming it ever happened."

The New York Times cited a total of six current and former employees in its report who "declined to be identified for fear of reprisal," including three who said Zuckerberg approved the project, two who tested the project in three cities in August, and one source that attended the January meeting.

In addition to pushing positive stories, the Times report also claimed that Facebook took steps to limit access to internal data.

The New York Times isn't the only outlet Facebook has pushed back against.

The Wall Street Journal recently published a series of reports, citing internal documents, which claim that Facebook was aware of numerous problems, including Instagram's impact on teen girls' mental health.


Facebook's Vice President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg said in a blog post on Sunday that the WSJ reports contained "deliberate mischaracterizations" of the company.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×