Facebook promotes itself in the News section with Project Amplify

Last month Mark Zuckerberg he would have signed the start of the initiative Project Amplify, a campaign designed to rehabilitate the name of Facebook and defend its image after the many scandals. Using the section News to promote positive company content. Only the latest found by the social media team, which in the last year has responded blow by blow to the criticisms. But the criticisms keep comingas evidenced by the series of articles published in the Wall Street Journal in the past few days.

Facebook launches Project Amplify to defend its image

The news comes from the New York Times, which explains the mechanism Project Amplify. Something that if verified would at least be alarming. In fact it looks like Facebook has plans to use the News section of the social network to promote positive content about the company and the social network. Launching charitable initiatives or engaging projects to convince users is something normal for companies. But promote propaganda content on its platform it looks like something new for social media. A proposal that apparently left more than one executive thrilled at the meeting where they proposed it.

For the past year, Facebook has been trying hard to relaunch your image. After the fake news scandals, the Cambridge Analytica case and the lack of decision-making in blocking Russian interference in the American elections, there was perhaps a need. Bad ex-employee revelations and leaks uncovered serious mistakes in handling misinformation on the platform. And also from politics came criticism in the role of Facebook to inform about the vaccines and in blocking the violent phenomena. Like the attack on the US Capitol on January 6.

Over the past few months we have seen Facebook executives reply to tone a Biden (“It is not Facebook’s fault that it has not reached the vaccination threshold”). Remove access to data for researchers who analyze fake news. Facebook’s vice president of global affairs Nick Clegg he called the Journal’s revelations in recent weeks “simply false.” Without providing any evidence as to why they were false. Pungent responses from those who feel attacked. And he doesn’t know how to answer.

According to the Times, the choice to launch Project Amplify is Alex Schultz, who has been with Facebook for 14 years and recently appointed chief markenting officer. But sources in the American newspaper explain that at least one of the “extreme” decisions made this year comes from Zuckerberg. And all of them have been approved by the CEO, including the Project Amplify. Which in a year of constant scandals for Facebook, represents perhaps the biggest misstep.

At the moment Facebook has not yet responded to the criticism. But if really this propaganda project through the News section is taking place, the problem becomes even more serious. And the response from public opinion (and then from politics) will not be long in coming.