Business mogul Mark Cuban called out Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and President-elect Donald Trump for the tariffs "Americans are going to see" from countries that "censor Meta services as a means of pressuring them into removing any restrictions that impact your profitability in those countries.
Newsweek reached out to a Meta communications representative and Trump's transition team via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Meta is one of the largest social media companies, encompassing Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads and other products. The tech giant has often set the norm for how platforms regulate and fact-check content.
Zuckerberg announced on Tuesday that Meta platforms will roll back a number of its censorship policies to become a free speech platform. This is a drastic change from Meta's previous approach of restricting specific language and topics.
Zuckerberg also appeared to condemn the use of regulations to block debate, reflecting an increasingly pro-free speech attitude in Silicon Valley over recent years.
What To Know
Cuban's post on Threads responded to Zuckerberg's announcement that it was "time to get back to our roots around free expression" at Meta.
Zuckerberg's sixth point in his thread was to "work with President Trump to push back against foreign governments going after American companies to censor more."
"The US has the strongest constitutional protections for free expression in the world and the best way to defend against the trend of government overreach on censorship is with the support of the US government," Zuckerberg posted.
Cuban took issue with this point, resharing this item specifically.
"You'll have carte blanche to take posts that no longer have restrictions, making them a more explicit representation, and train your AI Models," Cuban wrote.
President-elect Trump has said he will impose new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office. A tariff is a tax imposed by a government on imported goods and services. It is used to increase the cost of foreign products, making them less competitive than domestic products.
He pledged to use tariffs to boost U.S. businesses—proposing a 60 percent tariff on goods from China and a 10 percent tariff on everything else the U.S. imports. A 25 percent tax would be imposed on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10 percent tariff on goods from China.
Cuban, an active supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, has been vocal about his opposition to Trump and his proposed tariffs. The businessman wrote in October that "it's obvious (Trump) has no idea what it takes to manufacture any advanced product, car or otherwise."
He told The View in October that Trump was the "Grinch trying to steal your Christmas."
Cuban once supported Trump running for president but reversed course during his 2016 campaign after being put off by Trump's divisive rhetoric.
He also shared his comments on Bluesky, which he called "now the only moderated social media platform with tools that allows the user to control their own experience."
The Shark Tank investor has feuded with social media giants in the past, including frequently trading blows with X owner and Trump ally Elon Musk about everything from physical appearance to the legality of their campaign tactics.
What People Are Saying
Mark Zuckerberg, on Fox & Friends Tuesday: "The recent elections feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech. So, we're going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms."
Piers Morgan, on X: "Wow... this is amazing... Mark Zuckerberg announcing a complete U-turn on all woke censorship & cancel culture bulls***.. good for you Mark Zuckerberg and good for Elon Musk who has led the charge on free speech."
What Happens Next
The new policies on Meta will be rolled out throughout 2025.
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