Meta Yields to the Right

Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg recently announced META (Facebook, Instagram, and Threads) will no longer use fact checkers and rely on a community notes to report information. Zuckerberg announced the decision after meeting with President-elect Trump. However, what Zuckerberg did not announce was overturning protection for LGBTQ+ community, women, and BIPOC. In other words, META users will be able to attack these marginalized groups with no consequences. Since the announcement, many users on Threads have already begun looking for an alternative social media space, or deleting their accounts from all social media. However, it is vital we stay on these apps and continue to make our presence known in the META-verse.

First, not everyone can just delete their accounts. Many users have social media accounts to connect with family and old friends. They use the app to continue their connection with the people they love. Deleting their accounts creates an obstacle to stay in touch with these loved ones. Why should they have to lose their connections they have because of an unnecessary policy? Furthermore, what about businesses who use social media to gain business opportunity? Deleting their presence on META, could deliver a financial blow. Consistency is key and they need to remain to maintain a profit margin. Bottom-line, it is difficult for anyone and businesses to simple delete their accounts and try to start all over on a different app.

Second, deleting your account because of the potential to be attack, is giving the other side exactly what they want: our community to be erased. This has been the plan since the campaign trail. To erase the existence of the LGBTQ community and the rights of women and BIPOC (especially immigrants, and religion other than Christianity) who are on the lower rung of white hierarchy. It begins with our online presence and then spreads to offline spaces as well. Staying on these apps allows us the opportunity to review their attacks and work together to combat them. Defend ourselves and our truths to remain both on and offline.

The Alt-right will enter the conversation to spread misinformation and continue to target our community, particularly trans-women. They want to make us uncomfortable, to take away any right to exist in any space. How long are we willing to run from confrontation and not stand for our right to exist in public? We deserve to be seen and to be heard. We must not yield.

America is preparing to enter dark times. I fear for what will happen this year and years to come, but I vow to continue to fight for our rights to exist. I am not deleting my accounts on Meta. I have too many people I am presently connected to and built a history on the apps. I plan to remain for as long as I can. I would rather have the company ban me than surrender because of fear. What I am proposing is we all continue to stay. We need to form a unified front to support and uplift each other while the app begins its changes. As the old American adage goes: united we stand; divided we fall. It is our turn to stand and fight for our democracy. For our right to exists. For ourselves.

If you feel you are in a physically unsafe environment, then I encourage you to delete your accounts. Your safety is more important than staying and endangering yourself or your love ones. However, if you are like-minded, then please join me to support our LGBTQ brothers, sisters and allies. Find their accounts. Follow them and have them follow you. My handle on Meta is Ayamewrites. Together let’s build a following that will be ready to support and uplift you when the hateful comment flood appears in the apps. Much like the 60s, this is our digital civil rights movement and we need to gather now. I look forward to combatting misinformation and supporting our community with you.

Final tip: Check your app settings. You can always have comments set to followers only as well as turn off comments completely when posting.