PAMark Zuckberg has used the sacred Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur to issue a public apology for the way people have used Facebook to divide communities.
Yom Kippur is a time when Jews reflect on the past year and ask for forgiveness for mistakes, and Zuckerberg has taken responsibility for the proliferation of ‘fake news’ through his platform, admitting he underestimated the problem during last year’s bitter election campaign.
The social media mogul posted his apology on his Facebook page, saying the Jewish day of atonement had brought him to reflect.
Mark Zuckerberg wrote:
Tonight concludes Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews when we reflect on the past year and ask forgiveness for our mistakes.
For those I hurt this year, I ask forgiveness and I will try to be better. For the ways my work was used to divide people rather than bring us together, I ask forgiveness and I will work to do better.
May we all be better in the year ahead, and may you all be inscribed in the book of life.
GettyFacebook has been under fire for allowing ‘fake news’ to spread and for the fact that Russian agents bought advertisements as part of an attempt to sway the election.
After doubting the effect Facebook may have had on the American election, Zuckerberg recently back-tracked, saying he regretted it and that ‘this is too important an issue to be dismissive’.
Good on him for reflecting. Good Yontif.
