Facebook executive admits hiring firm that linked critics to Soros
Facebook's outgoing policy chief took the blame Wednesday night for hiring a consulting firm to investigate and peddle negative stories about the company's critics, including by linking them to liberal philanthropist George Soros.
The blog post by the executive, Elliot Schrage, landed on the eve of the Thanksgiving weekend, and appeared aimed at absolving CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg of responsibility for a lobbying campaign that sparked accusations that Facebook was fueling anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
[...] The New York Times reported last week that Facebook, under pressure over reports of Russian election interference on its platform, hired the Republican-linked consulting firm, Definers Public Affairs, which among other things sought to tie anti-Facebook groups to the Soros-backed Open Society Foundations.
Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg can't remember smear firm, but 'some of their work' crossed her desk
Facebook has reposted [the Schrage blog post] with an addition by COO Sheryl Sandberg, who claimed: "I didn't remember a firm called Definers. I asked our team to look into the work Definers did for us and to double-check whether anything had crossed my desk. Some of their work was incorporated into materials presented to me and I received a small number of emails where Definers was referenced.
Soros Philanthropy President Calls for U.S. Lawmakers to Review Facebook (repost)
The president of George Soros's philanthropy called for oversight of Facebook Inc. by U.S. lawmakers after the social media company confirmed it hired a controversial public relations outfit to research the billionaire financier.
[...] In response to Facebook's memo, Patrick Gaspard, president of Mr. Soros's Open Society Foundations, said in a tweet on Wednesday: "So @facebook decides to drop a turkey on Thanksgiving eve, with admission that Definers was tasked by company leadership to target and smear George Soros because he publicly criticized their out of control business model. Sorry, but this needs independent, congressional oversight."
George Soros Sold Facebook, Netflix, and Goldman Stock Just Before They Tumbled
Soros Fund Management, which Soros founded and chairs, exited social-network giant Facebook (FB) completely in the third quarter, while also slashing positions in Netflix stock (NFLX) and Goldman Sachs Group stock (GS). Those three stocks have tumbled in the fourth quarter so far, with Facebook and Goldman setting new lows Tuesday. They are down almost 20% and 15%, respectively, so far this quarter. Highflying streaming-content giant Netflix has tumbled almost 29% since the end of September.
[...] Soros Fund Management sold all its Facebook stock before the end of the third quarter, prior to publication of the New York Times report. Following the report, the head of Soros' Open Society Foundations criticized what it called "Facebook's smear campaign" against Soros.
See also: After latest scandal, does Facebook need to be regulated?
Facebook v Soros: 'Congress must probe'
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @08:12PM (9 children)
Are people really this gullible?
(Score: 0, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @09:13PM (2 children)
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @09:22PM (1 child)
Everything he knows, he learned as a child in his native Hungary. Posing as a gentile, watching Nazis confiscate the property of jews before they were sent to to the camps. "Philanthropy", we are told.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Bot on Saturday November 24 2018, @10:42PM
>soros did soros things because nazis
And people look always surprised when I state that the true father of zionist Israel is good old, financed by London, uncle Adolf.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by fustakrakich on Saturday November 24 2018, @09:13PM (4 children)
Are people really this gullible?
Judging by election results, yes...
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 25 2018, @01:13AM
Ya who knew people would be stupid enough to elect Trump?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 25 2018, @01:56AM (2 children)
> Judging by election results, yes...
Which results? Prove that the numbers are valid. Go on, I dare you to try proving it with an audit.
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Sunday November 25 2018, @01:28PM
Some people love the move the goalposts....then there are some that set the initial goalposts a Kessel run apart so they never have to.
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Monday November 26 2018, @02:18AM
Which results?
The official ones. The ones that gave the ruling party 94.3% of the votes. About the same as always.
Prove that the numbers are valid.
Prove that they are not. Shouldn't be too difficult with your electronic contraptions counting the votes. You got records, right? If they are not valid , you all have to speak up.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Sunday November 25 2018, @04:26AM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves