Profit Over Ethics: Mark Zuckerberg’s Cynical New Path for Meta
Mark Zuckerberg’s recent decisions to end Meta’s third-party fact-checking and to introduce AI-generated users on Instagram and Facebook highlight a significant, but not surprising, shift in the company’s priorities.
As a digital marketer, I’ve long recognized that Zuckerberg’s goal was never about “connecting people.” It’s always been about selling ads by leveraging user data and engagement to drive revenue. All this to say, no one can accuse Zuckerberg of having an ethical bone in his body. What’s different now is the obvious abandonment of even the pretense of moral responsibility or concern for minimizing harm.
The End of Third-Party Fact-Checking
Meta's decision to end its fact-checking program indicates a reversal towards an environment of the click-driven chaos we saw back in the 2010s. Without independent oversight, Facebook and Instagram will undoubtedly see an uptick in harmful and divisive content. These posts—crafted not to inform but to enrage and mislead—are exactly the type of content that thrives in algorithms designed to prioritize engagement.
For businesses, this adds another layer of complexity to the existing challenge of standing out, let alone grow, on platforms like Instagram. Helpful, carefully crafted content that could serve users or potential customers will be buried beneath a flood of misinformation and controversy. As the platform becomes more toxic, people will inevitably leave, shrinking the audiences that brands rely on to reach customers.
AI-Generated Profiles Dilute Authenticity
The introduction of AI-generated profiles on Instagram and Facebook represents another disturbing step. Social media, for all its flaws, was built on the premise of human interaction. By filling feeds with AI-generated users and content, Meta is diluting what little authenticity remains. This raises a question I’ve previously written about: Are brands and businesses going to be posting for bots instead of real people?
Then there’s the issue of oversaturation. Social media is already drowning in content. Less than 10 percent of Instagram users see any given post shared by accounts they follow. Adding AI-generated posts only intensifies the noise, making it harder than ever for businesses to maintain visibility. And with Instagram’s increasing focus on creator content, brands are being pushed to adopt a “creator mindset,” or to create “share-worthy content” as Adam Mosseri loves to tell us—something not all businesses are equipped or willing to do.
Profit at All Costs
These changes make it abundantly clear where Meta’s priorities lie: ad revenue above all else. Zuckerberg’s decision-making no longer appears bound by a sense of responsibility or the desire to minimize societal harm. Instead, the focus is on keeping users—real or artificial—engaged at all costs, regardless of the mental health toll, the erosion of democracy, or the deterioration of meaningful online interactions.
What Comes Next?
These developments require digital marketers to reassess our strategies. Do we continue to play by the rules of a platform that prioritizes profit over people? Or do we seek alternative spaces to build genuine, meaningful connections with our audiences? I suspect Meta’s platforms will eventually become a digital wasteland and therefore my advice is that we seek alternative options now.
While Meta’s leadership might see this as a bold new chapter, it’s possible they’re underestimating how fed up users already are. If Zuckerberg is betting on divisive content and AI to sustain engagement, he may soon discover that the price of such a gamble is losing the very users and businesses that keep the platform afloat.
This blog post has been co-written with AI, specifically using ChatGPT to discuss topics and draft a post, with final edits by me. The ideas and reflections shared here are mine but written in a collaborative process, blending my personal thoughts with AI assistance to articulate them more fully.