CCAN Supplementary

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced major changes, including dismantling fact-checking teams and diversity programmes, while aligning with Trump ahead of his return. The Christchurch Call CEO Paul Ash responds, noting Meta's continued commitment to countering terrorist content despite policy shifts.

The dual challenge faced by social media platforms emerges through the tension between content moderation and free speech. While Meta and X move towards looser controls and community moderation, they maintain specific commitments against terrorist content. This paradox shows how platforms attempt to balance commercial interests with security responsibilities.

Ash, who took time out of his summer break to speak to The Spinoff, said it was “assuring that Meta has said it will continue to monitor and act on terrorist content as it has been doing. It has not changed its Dangerous Organisations and Individuals policy and that’s the core of policy that underpins the work that the Christchurch Call does – dealing with terrorist and violent extremist content.”

"I think there's a distinction to be made between extreme views and extreme views that advocate violence or dehumanising behavior. I think any platform that lifts a set of controls, can expect to see some more extreme views popping up. That's human nature, that's how people behave," says Paul Ash.