TOPLINE
As Facebook faces sharp scrutiny and a growing advertising boycott amid the coronavirus pandemic, racial justice movement and impending November election, a new poll of 1,000 registered voters nationwide from Accountable Tech and GQR Research conducted July 15-19 finds that American voters have turned against Facebook, believing the company does more harm than good and broadly disapproving of CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the power he wields.
KEY FACTS
43% of voters view Facebook favorably and 47% view them unfavorably, while only 20% have a favorable view of Zuckerberg specifically and 56% see him unfavorably.
Zuckerberg and Facebook’s unfavorable ratings are the lowest of any big tech company or tech CEO, though Apple CEO Tim Cook was the only leader to receive a net positive rating (23% favorable to 18% unfavorable).
Zuckerberg’s favorable rating has dropped by 28% since 2016, and he is viewed unfavorably by both parties—leading GQR Research to note that while President Donald Trump is also viewed unfavorably by 56% (favorably by 39%), Zuckerberg is less popular, as he does not have any strong base of support.
73% believe Zuckerberg has too much power, though only 41% believe he should resign.
69% of respondents believe Facebook has too much power, and 85% believe big tech companies have too much power in general.
57% believe Facebook is “primarily a harm to society” and 71% believe the company “prioritizes profits, even if it might cause societal harm.”
Facebook’s refusal to fact-check political ads is extremely unpopular, with 92% believing “politicians should be subject to the same fact-checking rules as everyone else.”
The Stop Hate for Profit ad boycott against Facebook is popular, with 74% of respondents in support of it, including majorities from both parties.
Facebook has not yet replied to a request for comment about the poll’s findings.
Crucial Quote
“We have given Facebook the benefit of the doubt, and it’s abused that benefit,” Free Press Co-CEO Jessica González, an organizer of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign, told reporters on a press call Thursday. “The American people have clearly had enough.”
Key Background
Criticism of Facebook has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, with the company’s refusal to remove Trump’s inflammatory post against racial justice protesters spurring hundreds of companies to join the ad boycott against the company’s broader permissiveness of hate speech and misinformation. Facebook has also come under fire for its handling of race and civil rights, with a recent internal audit finding Facebook’s policies have “real world consequences that are serious setbacks for civil rights.” As the November election approaches, Joe Biden’s campaign has slammed the social media network’s repeated permissiveness of Trump and policies around voting misinformation, particularly after a Washington Post investigation found that Facebook’s policies were repeatedly crafted to “accommodate” Trump’s rhetoric. Facebook has attempted to address the public criticism, announcing new policies regarding voting information and labeling newsworthy posts that violate their policies, and Zuckerberg has made comments that attempt to distance himself from the Trump administration. Critics, however, have still slammed the company’s actions as not going far enough, with the Stop Hate for Profit organizers saying in a statement after meeting with Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg that Facebook “wants us to accept the same old rhetoric, repackaged as a fresh response.”
What to Watch for
Zuckerberg will have to answer for at least some of the criticism leveled against Facebook on Monday, as he appears alongside other major tech CEOs at an antitrust hearing led by the House Judiciary Committee. The hearing comes as lawmakers have grown increasingly critical of Facebook, and the company faces antitrust investigations into its allegedly anti-competitive practices from the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.
Further Reading
New Polling Highlights America’s View on Big Tech, Facebook Boycott, Mark Zuckerberg (Accountable Tech)
Zuckerberg Says He Has ‘No Deal Of Any Kind’ With Trump (Forbes)
Internal Audit Slams Facebook’s ‘Inadequate’ Civil Rights Approach As Companies Boycott (Forbes)
Biden Campaign Attacks Facebook For Its Policies Protecting Trump’s Inflammatory Comments (Forbes)
In Reversal, Zuckerberg Says Facebook Will Label Newsworthy Posts That Violate Its Rules (Forbes)