CONSPIRACY

Zuckerberg: Fake Facebook News Didn’t Sway Election

Slams the “lack of empathy" in idea that people voted based on fake news.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says it’s “crazy” to think bogus news stories spread on Facebook during the presidential campaign could have influenced the outcome. “Personally, I think the idea that fake news on Facebook—of which it’s a small amount of content—influenced the election in any way is a pretty crazy idea,” Zuckerberg told a conference Thursday. In the heat of the presidential race, millions of people wound up sharing fake news stories about the candidates—and Facebook became a cesspool of bizarre conspiracy theories. With many shocked by Donald Trump’s win, social-media users have begun to wonder if the platform enabled the Republican nominee’s win by allowing such news stories to flourish. Zuckerberg doesn’t think so, however. “I do think there is a profound lack of empathy in asserting that the only reason someone could’ve voted the way they did is fake news,” he said.