During Facebook's opening F8 2016 keynote, CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg had some choice words for "fearful voices calling for building walls." It was a thinly veiled jab at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, and his campaign is not pleased.
"I think I'll take Mark Zuckerberg seriously when he gives up all of his private security, moves out of his posh neighborhood, and comes live in a modest neighborhood near a border town, and then I'm sure his attitude would change," Trump campaign spokesperson Katrina Pierson responded when asked about the remark on CNBC's Squawk on the Street.
So, there's this thing called 'Google'
Pierson went on to remark that "the CEOs in Silicon Valley should focus on innovation and jobs and their businesses and let the politicians make their policies."
Considering that Silicon Valley and policy couldn't be more intertwined as of late (read: Apple vs the FBI), it's pretty obvious that said tech CEOs simply don't have that luxury. When policy or legislation – e.g. Trump's long-proposed internet wall – directly impacts the work that these companies do to connect the world, what other choice do they have but to speak up?
Sure, it's in Facebook's best interest that the world be connected (through its platform), as that means more online ad dollars. But, it's tough to refute that the byproduct of that is, well, a world with more voices.
Frankly, we could use as many voices as we can muster to drown out the din of flawed, dangerous rhetoric that has all but consumed this presidential election.
