Zuckerberg warns of 'civil unrest' around US polls, assures 'we've taken additional steps'

With US presidential elections being less than five days away, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has raised concerns over possibility of civil unrest triggered around vember 3 election. He also said that upcoming biggest political event in United States will be “a test” for social network. In a statement on October 30, Zuckerberg said “I’m worried” about nation which is highly divisive and results of election could take several days or weeks to complete counting, and thus, re is “risk of civil unrest” across US.

While adding that social networking platforms will have to take unprecedented measures, Facebook chief enlisted steps taken by his company. Zuckerberg also described safeguards put to tackle misinformation and voter suppression at social network with 2.45 billion users. However, his remarks came just a day after he along with CEO’s of Google and Twitter were grilled during US Senate hearing to reform an internet law and hold tech companies accountable for regulation of content on ir platforms. 

Mark Zuckerberg said, “I'm worried that with our nation so divided and election results potentially taking days or weeks to be finalized, re is a risk of civil unrest across country. Given this, companies like ours need to go well beyond what we've done before.”

“That's why we've taken additional steps to help people register to vote however y're comfortable, to clear up confusion about how this election will work, and reduce chance of uncertainty and unrest,” he added. 

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Facebook has blocked new political, social issue ads 

Touting Facebook’s “largest voting information campaign in American history” that helped millions of people to register, Zuckerberg said that as of October 27, company has blocked new political, social issue advertisements to run on platform. He said that California-based company is taking this step because he believes it is “best antidote” to hate speech in final days of US Election 2020. However, Democrats and Republicans have complained separately was undermining ir respective campaign efforts by introducing ban in week before elections. 

Facebook chief said, “we've blocked new political and social issue ads from running week ahead of Election Day and after election. We're doing this because while I generally believe best antidote to bad speech is more speech, in final days of an election re may simply t be eugh time to contest new claims.”

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