Zuckerberg keeps political powder dry
Mark Zuckerberg may see a photo opportunity with Donald Trump as harming his own political ambitions
When 13 tech bosses, among them some of the world's richest entrepreneurs, were summoned for a meeting with US president-elect Donald Trump, one face was conspicuous by its absence. Facebook's role in the US election had been much scrutinised: it was accused of being a Petri dish for fake news that allowed anti-Clinton stories to spread like wildfire; and the social network was employed to great effect by the Trump campaign, which built up profiles of voters to target. And yet, Mark Zuckerberg was nowhere to be seen at Trump Tower. Instead, he sent his trusted deputy and chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, making Facebook the only company at the meeting without its CEO in attendance.Zuckerberg has not explained his absence, but two likely, and related, reasons may well become clear. Firstly, the man who started Facebook 13 years ago now has priorities outside its daily running: as with many tech founders, he would prefer the nitty gritty of advertising relationships and regula...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.