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Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's chief executive, says he has changed his approach to handling controversies.
Recently, in the Acquired podcast, Mr. Zuckerberg announced an end to the previous pattern of apologetic messages for past issues. He says he is more focused on innovation and resilience now.
In a remarkably frank podcast interview with the hosts David Rosenthal and Ben Gilbert, Zuckerberg laid out his new approach for Meta which is to make "awesome" products and not take any criticism. This was decidedly different from the conciliatory tone he had oozed only a few months before.
Public appearances by Zuckerberg in recent times exude a more laid-back and confident Zuckerberg. Outside of his work, he has been delving into more personal interests, such as cattle farming, a symbol of his larger transformation. He said he took on too much blame for past controversies over the role of Facebook in politics.
During a call with House Republicans in August, Zuckerberg said Meta had messed up when it came to COVID-19 misinformation, notably by not pushing back on government demands. Since then, he said, he would speak out more on behalf of defending Meta's choices, focusing on the company's future directions.
While social media remains the core of Meta's business, new product possibilities get Zuckerberg excited. Painful content moderation and user administration doesn't keep him from pushing the boundary of what's possible with Meta.
Zuckerberg's new strategy marked a sea change in how Meta's leadership approaches the company. How well that shift will guide Meta through the rapidly changing technological world depends on reactions from a combination of the public, investors, and regulators.
