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FTC Trial Highlights Zuckerberg's Concerns Over Facebook's Cultural Decline

Internal emails reveal Meta's 2022 debates over Facebook's future, as the company rolls out new features to revive relevance.

Overview

  • Internal emails from 2022, disclosed during the FTC antitrust trial, show Mark Zuckerberg's concern about Facebook's waning cultural relevance despite stable engagement metrics.
  • Zuckerberg considered significant changes to Facebook’s structure, including shifting from a friend-based model to a follow-based system or resetting user connections entirely.
  • Meta launched a revamped Friends tab in early 2025 as part of its 'OG Facebook' strategy to restore the platform's prominence.
  • During the Q4 2024 earnings call, Zuckerberg emphasized the urgency of reversing Facebook's cultural decline to ensure Meta's long-term success.
  • The FTC trial, focused on Meta's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, has intensified scrutiny of the company's competitive practices and internal decision-making.