Categories: Business

Meta faces backlash over policy shift as users abandon platforms

The Meta and Facebook logos are seen along a video by Mark Zuckerberg in this illustration photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on 09 January, 2025. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Meta’s recent policy shifts, including ending U.S. third-party fact-checking, scaling back content moderation, and disbanding its DEI team, have led to user outrage. Updates permitting derogatory language against LGBTQ individuals have particularly drawn criticism.

Boycotts and exodus

Prominent users, including artists and academics, are leaving Meta’s platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Alternatives such as Bluesky and Tumblr are gaining traction among those dissatisfied with Meta’s direction.

Mixed reactions and user retention

Despite the backlash, Meta’s vast user base remains largely intact. Many users, especially small businesses and influencers, feel compelled to stay due to the platform’s reach and utility.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.