Survey Calls Facebook ‘Worst Company of 2021’

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

After a year of controversy, the tech company has finished first in a race to the bottom, according to a new poll by Yahoo Finance

Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook, was declared “the worst company of 2021” in the results of an audience survey conducted by Yahoo Finance.

The poll, which surveyed 1,541 readers, saw Facebook receive 8 percent of the total votes for the ignominious distinction.

Respondents were polarized in their assessments of the tech company and expressed contradictory reasons for their disdain. Conservatives and dissidents expressed frustration with the tech company for being overly censorious and discriminating against their views. However, progressives often complained that the company did not go far enough in its efforts to eradicate perceived misinformation, with many claiming that the company was inadequately suppressive of skeptical views regarding the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic and the 2020 United States presidential election.

Last September, Facebook fell under scrutiny for The Facebook Files, a series of investigative reports published by the Wall Street Journal and based on leaks provided by whistleblower Frances Haugen. Much of the publicity around the leaks focused on the impact of Instagram (a subsidiary of Meta Platforms) on teenage girls, and the company’s alleged indifference to those concerns. Haugen also alleged that Facebook’s potential for radicalization has contributed to genocides in Myanmar and Ethiopia, among a myriad of other concerns expressed in the reports.

Additionally, the company has been under the scrutiny of antitrust regulators for several years. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of 48 states sued Facebook for alleged violations of antitrust laws. That particular case against the company was dismissed as legally insufficient, but the lawsuit is still pending as the court considers dismissing the case outright.

Perhaps owing to this negative publicity, Facebook rebranded the parent company which oversees its platforms as Meta Platforms last October. The new name coincides with Zuckerberg’s increasing emphasis on the concept of the “metaverse,” a concept in which the internet would be presented as a simulated, three-dimensional world accessible through virtual reality. The proposed Facebook metaverse has been no less controversial, with critics calling it everything from ridiculous to dystopian.

Still, Meta’s stock value has seen 22 percent growth in the past year—lagging somewhat behind the S&P, but hardly a crisis for investors. For strictly financial concerns, Meta appears in much better shape than the second-place finisher for worst company of 2021: the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which has seen its stock price plummet by over 50 percent after a tumultuous year of harassment by the Chinese Communist Party.

However, Facebook has seen itself dogged by controversy since its inception, and this has not deterred it in its rise to become an information powerhouse. It is thus unclear whether such negative publicity will serve as a significant deterrent to the company, which still persists as a leader in social media even despite the ensemble of negative publicity it has received.

Facebook/Meta Platforms did not respond to a request for comment.

By Nicholas Dolinger

Read Original Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Hamas’s Stubborn Grip on Arms Signals No Desire for Genuine Peace

Hamas’s rhetoric reflects its founding ideology, prioritizing armed resistance over civilian welfare or diplomatic progress.

Off the radar

In the longstanding and brutal ledger of religious persecution, Nigeria now occupies its own grim chapter with its enduring pogrom against Christians.

The New Jackboots? A Wake-Up Call on Antifa and Fascism

An analysis of whether Antifa truly opposes fascism by comparing its tactics and behavior to historical signs and movements of fascist regimes.

If Federal Food Assistance Programs End, Theft Begins

Many patriotic Americans well versed in American History have...

Tucker EN FUEGO: Taking Stock of MAGA, Ten Years on

Draining of the Swamp has yet to come anything close to fruition, as the creatures that populate said Swamp yet cling bitterly to power.

Dallas Doctor Surrenders License After Texas AG Sues for Prescribing Gender Transition Drugs to Minors

Doctor surrendered her medical license following lawsuit by Texas AG Paxton, accusing her of illegally prescribing gender transition drugs to minors.

June Lockhart, Beloved Mother Figure From ‘Lassie’ and ‘Lost in Space,’ Dies at 100

June Lockhart, a mother figure for a generation of TV viewers whether at home in “Lassie” or in the stratosphere in “Lost in Space,” has died at 100.

Kamala Harris Teases New White House Run: ‘I Am Not Done’

Kamala Harris hinted in a BBC interview that she may run for president again in 2028, saying she hasn’t ruled out another White House bid.

TCM Classic Tour at Warner Bros. Studio: Finding Stardust in Today’s Hollywood

Warner Bros. launched the TCM Classic Films Tour in April 2024, offering visitors a nostalgic journey through the studio’s historic movie legacy.

Trump Hikes Canada’s Tariffs by 10 Percent for Not Pulling Anti-Tariff Ad Immediately

Trump announced he will increase tariffs on Canada by 10% after ad by provincial government of Ontario misrepresented President Reagan’s speech on tariffs.

Trump Rolls Back Emissions Rules on Copper Smelters

President Trump issued a proclamation aimed at reversing a Biden-era environmental rule that enforced stricter air emission standards on copper smelters.

Donor Gives $130 Million to Cover Shortfall in Troop Pay During Shutdown

Trump announced on Oct. 23 that an anonymous donor sent $130M to cover military pay during the ongoing government shutdown.

‘Frustration’ With Canada Led to Trump Scrapping Talks, Not Just Ontario’s Ad: US Official

President Trump cited Ontario’s TV ad as the reason for halting Canada trade talks, but officials say it stems from rising U.S. frustration with Ottawa.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central