Byers Market: Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey and the future of speech

Plus: President Trump retreats, Evan Spiegel calls for reparations and Jeff Zucker seizes his moment.

View in browser June 1, 2020 By DYLAN BYERS in Los Angeles &  AHIZA GARCÍA-HODGES in San Francisco Good morning. 🔥  America on fire: Protests have erupted in more than 140 cities and the National Guard has been activated in at least 20 states since George Floyd died in police custody one week ago. Meanwhile, the White House has gone dark, turning off almost all of its external lights on Sunday night as demonstrators raged across the nation's capitol.   •  Today's front pages: NYT: "Twin Crises and Surging Anger Convulse U.S."; WaPo: "U.S. at a precipice as demonstrations intensify"; WSJ: Anger, Unrest Sweet Across U.S."   🏛️  What's next: "President Donald Trump has dismissed advice from his allies urging him to tone down his rhetoric," our colleagues Shannon Pettypiece, Monica Alba and Kristen Welker report. "He spent [Sunday] on Twitter, doubling down on a strategy of calling for stronger police tactics that critics say is only worsening the situation."   Join the Market: 🗞️ Newsletter | 🎙️ Podcast Bloomberg/Getty Future of speech Mark Zuckerberg fights for an unpopular cause   Moving the Market: Mark Zuckerberg is facing growing pressure from critics inside and outside of Facebook over his controversial decision to do nothing about the incendiary posts in which President Trump appeared to call for violence against protestors by tweeting, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."   •  The latest: At least a dozen Facebook employees took to Twitter last night to voice their disapproval with Zuckerberg's decision. "I am not proud of how we're showing up," one wrote in an illustrative post. "The majority of coworkers I've spoken to feel the same way."   The big picture: Zuckerberg is fighting to keep Facebook agnostic on matters of political speech, a position that has become increasingly unpopular as Trump tests the boundaries of what's acceptable and Twitter takes a stand by adding warning labels to Trump's tweets.   •  The Facebook chief is motivated by both practical and philosophical goals, sources familiar with his thinking say. On the practical side, he does not want to get mired in a political war with the president or with conservatives, especially as regulation looms in Washington.   •  On the philosophical side, he firmly believes Facebook should be as open a platform as possible and should not make judgments about political speech. Any exception would set a dangerous precedent for Facebook, opening up a Pandora's Box in the U.S. and globally.   In waging this lonely battle, Zuckerberg has tried in myriad ways to demonstrate his support for racial justice and his opposition to the president's rhetoric, even as he stops short of taking actions that might counter or at least contextualize that rhetoric.   •  On Friday, Zuckerberg told Trump by phone that he disagreed with his rhetoric about the protestors and that it was putting Facebook in a difficult position. (Details of the discussion, first reported by Axios, were confirmed by three sources with knowledge of the call).   •  The same day, Zuckerberg wrote a Facebook post saying that while he had "a visceral negative reaction" to the president's "divisive and inflammatory rhetoric," Facebook "should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies."   •  Late Sunday night, Zuckerberg wrote another post in which he said Facebook would donate $10 million to groups working on racial justice and disclosed that he and his wife's philanthropic initiative had been investing $40 million a year in such efforts.   What's next: None of these efforts will make Zuckerberg more popular in the eyes of his critics, nor will they stem the growing tide of frustration among his rank and file. His commitment to agnosticism will grow more unpopular the longer the protests go on and the more divisive and inflammatory the president's rhetoric becomes.   •  But until Trump clearly runs afoul of Facebook's policies — which, it should be noted, he has not yet done — Zuckerberg is unlikely to buckle to public pressure. Whatever he thinks about the state of the world right now, his ultimate fealty is to Facebook. Bloomberg/Getty Terms of engagement Jack Dorsey, in the muck   Big in the Bay, big in the Beltway: Jack Dorsey's decision to place a label on President Trump's tweets warning that they violated Twitter's policy against glorifying violence has drawn the CEO into what will likely be a protracted confrontation with the White House.   •  The big picture: The move has thrust Twitter's philosopher CEO, known in Silicon Valley for his fasting rituals and meditation retreats, into the very real and messy world of American politics in the Trump era. It could have major ramifications for him and for Twitter.   What's next: "Twitter's position is precarious," NYT's Kate Conger reports. "The company is grappling with charges of bias from the right over its labeling of Mr. Trump's tweets... Yet Twitter's critics on the left said that by leaving Mr. Trump's tweets up and not banning him from the site, it was enabling the president."   •  "Twitter is girding for a protracted battle with Mr. Trump. Some employees have locked down their social media accounts and deleted their professional affiliation to avoid being harassed. Executives, holed up at home, are meeting virtually to discuss next steps while also handling a surge of misinformation related to the pandemic."   Top talker: Maureen Dowd to Dorsey, in Sunday's NYT: "C'mon, @Jack. You can do it. Throw on some Kendrick Lamar and get your head in the right space. Pour yourself a big old glass of salt juice. Draw an ice bath and fire up the cryotherapy pod and the infrared sauna. Then just pull the plug on him. You know you want to."   •  "Do Trump — and the world — a favor and send him back into the void whence he came. And then go have some fun: Meditate and fast for days on end!" 📖  Mark, Jack 📖   Some important context for those following Facebook and Twitter's differing responses to the president's tweets: It would be wrong to say that they have different policies on issues like the promotion of violence (or hate speech).   •  The policies are remarkably similar. The difference is really about interpretation and application. Recode's Shirin Ghaffary has a good explainer on that here. Steve Jennings/Getty Snap forward Evan Spiegel's call for justice   Big in L.A.: Evan Spiegel has "called for the creation of an American commission to address racial injustice and comprehensive tax reform, saying in a lengthy note... that he was 'heartbroken and enraged' by racism in America," The Information's Alex Heath reports.   •  The big picture: "The comments... shed light on the press-shy billionaire's view of philanthropy and Snapchat's stance on how to handle posts from world leaders that violate company policies. ... At 29 years old, Spiegel is one of the youngest billionaires in the world with an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion."   The details: In the 2,000-word memo, shared with Snap employees late Sunday, "Spiegel calls for a commission on racism and its legacy similar to the one South Africa instituted after the end of apartheid and a more 'progressive income tax system' that includes higher estate, business, and wealth taxes."   •  "In short, people like me will pay a lot more in taxes — and I believe it will be worth it to create a society that benefits all of us," Spiegel writes. "Private philanthropy can patch holes, or accelerate progress, but it alone cannot cross the deep and wide chasm of injustice."   Big in the Beltway: Spiegel also said Snapchat's Discover tab "cannot promote accounts in America that are linked to people who incite racial violence, whether they do so on or off our platform." He did not specify whether or how that would apply to President Trump. Market Links     • Tim Cook addresses racism in staff memo (CNBC)   • Reed Hastings, et al, back 'Black Lives Matter' (NYT)   • Jeff Bezos curbs some operations amid protests (Bloomberg)   • Sundar Pichai rescinds offers to contract workers (NYT)   • Elon Musk made it to space. What's next? (Recode) Samuel Corum/Getty Line of fire Journalists injured, arrested   Moving the media: Dozens of journalists have reportedly been attacked by law enforcement during the protests over the death of George Lloyd, WaPo's Paul Farhi and Elahe Izadi report.   •  The big picture: "Not since the 1960s, when the nation was racked by civil rights demonstrations, antiwar protests and urban riots, has the press been embroiled in so much violence on American shores."   More, via NYT: "Linda Tirado, a freelance photographer... was shot in the left eye ... A television reporter in Louisville, Ky., was hit by a pepper ball... by an officer who appeared to be aiming at her..." Mike Coppola/Getty Ratings game Jeff Zucker seizes moment   Talk of TV Land: "The coronavirus pandemic and the new urban crisis have made it impossible to look away [from cable news]," NYT's Ben Smith writes. "In this extraordinary news moment, the primacy of this supposedly dying medium has never been clearer, its ratings higher than ever."   •  The big picture: "Between now and November, there's no chance it's a normal political year," CNN President Jeff Zucker tells Smith. "That's just not conceivable between now and the end of the year."   •  CNN, which had trailed in the ratings for a while but tends to excel amid "all-consuming news stories," was particularly well-suited to seize this moment, Smith writes.   •  Oh/and: Zucker is still stoking the flames of his political ambitions: "New York City is going to need a very strong mayor in the aftermath of this," he says, "and I always like a challenge." 🔥   What's next: Intense, uncertain day ahead. Follow the NBC News Live Blog for all your updates.   See you tomorrow. Follow Dylan Byers Follow Ahiza García-Hodges Get the NBC News Mobile App Privacy Unsubscribe

Daily Skimm: And I’ll rise up, high like the waves

Skimm'd while listening to our podcast at home

June 1, 2020 Read in Browser

Skimm'd while listening to our podcast at home

Quote of the Day "I can name a list of 100 things more important right now" – Kylie Jenner on Forbes claiming she's not really a billionaire. Tabling this for later.

Rising Up

The Story This weekend, many Americans banded together in protest and solidarity. That they did. It's now been a week since 46-year-old George Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer held him down with a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Two other officers appeared to help pin Floyd to the ground while another stood nearby. Video of Floyd saying "I can't breathe" went viral, sparking calls for justice. While all four officers involved in Floyd's death have been fired, only one has been criminally charged. Many Americans are exasperated by the deaths of black people time and again at the hands of law enforcement. And have taken a stand. How'd that play out? With protests across the country and around the world. Tens of thousands of people turned out, calling for the three remaining officers to be charged and for an end to the inequality and maltreatment of black Americans. In many areas, people peacefully gathered with some police officers joining the protests in solidarity. In some cities, protesters looted businesses and set fire to police cars and buildings. But that's not all that happened. Go on. There were clashes with police. In New York City, two police vehicles drove into a crowd of protesters. And across several cities, officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets, injuring protesters, bystanders, and journalists. Police have reportedly arrested at least 4,400 people across the country. Several people have been killed, including one man who was reportedly shot and killed in Louisville, KY early today when the police and the National Guard opened fire after someone in the crowd shot at them. What's been the reaction? It varies. Some say that protests are a worthwhile cause, but people shouldn't resort to violence because it can overtake demonstrators' message. Others say that the country has tried peacefully protesting police brutality (see: Colin Kaepernick) and that there was a negative response to that, too. And then there are reactions to the police. Go on... There've been reports of violence against officers and more than a dozen cities have responded by setting up a curfew. Meanwhile, human rights advocates are holding law enforcement to task. Amnesty International is calling on the US to stop militarizing its response to protesters, which can escalate the situation. Where's the president in all this? Tweeting a mix of reactions. Last week, he called for accountability and asked for the DOJ's investigation into Floyd's death to be expedited. But later, he referred to protesters as "thugs" and added "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Twitter blocked the tweet for violating its policy against "glorifying violence." The president reportedly said his comments were misconstrued. He also said he'd designate antifa – a far-left group – as a terrorist organization for its alleged role in instigating some of the violence at protests. Some couldn't help but notice a stark difference between his response to these protests and his support for Michigan protesters last month who carried rifles, calling for an end to COVID-19 restrictions. Speaking of COVID... There are fears that these mass gatherings could spread it. Officials are worried about the close proximity of protesters – some who wore masks, some who did not. Atlanta's mayor warned the demonstrations could spread the virus particularly among communities of color, who've already been hit disproportionately hard. theSkimm These last few months, the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the economy have dominated the headlines. But George Floyd's death has galvanized people around the world in a way that hasn't been seen in decades. While some are hopeful this added attention could lead to real change, only time will tell if society continues to band together to take up this fight once daily routines go back to "normal."

And Also...This

Which world orgs are on the Trump admin's mind... The WHO. President Trump said the US is officially ending its relationship with the World Health Organization. The US gives the org about $450 million a year – the WHO's biggest donor to date. But Trump has long accused it of mishandling its response to the coronavirus outbreak (think: waiting weeks before calling it a pandemic, not supporting travel bans). After temporarily halting US funding, Trump threatened last month to pull out altogether if the WHO didn't commit to "improvements" within 30 days. Trump had said he wanted the WHO to show "independence from China," but he's now saying the org "failed" to make changes. And that the US will start redirecting its WHO funding to other "deserving urgent global public health needs." The G7. Over the weekend, Trump said he was postponing the G7 summit – the annual geopolitical meeting between the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan – until at least September. And that he wants to invite more countries (think: Russia, India, Australia, and South Korea) because the G7's an "outdated group." But at least one member nation (hi, Canada) is saying 'Russia can't sit with us,' considering it was already kicked out of the then-G8 in 2014 for annexing Crimea from Ukraine.

Who stuck the landing... Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. Yesterday, the astronauts made it to the International Space Station. The two were supposed to leave Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday. But because of a literal rain check, the 19-hour trip was delayed until Saturday. It marks the first time a private company (Elon Musk's SpaceX) sent astronauts into orbit. Now, the pair will have several weeks up in space to test the capsule's capabilities.

Who's aiming for a hole-in-one... This coyote.

Thing to Know

Anti-racist You may have seen this term pop up on social media. Being anti-racist is viewing all racial groups as equal and supporting policies that lead to equality and justice. It not only means to acknowledge that racism exists, but to fight it whenever it arises. Check out this reading list to learn more.

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting us all in different ways. No matter your situation, sometimes you just need to press pause. Enter: our picks to help you take a break… 1. 22 products that'll organize every room in your home. Enter: a wall mount for your cleaning supplies, genius closet solutions, and something to hold your food storage lids. Somewhere, Marie Kondo is taking notes. 2. Nine food-themed puzzles. We've gotten good at exactly two things in quarantine: eating and putting cardboard pieces together. You too? This list is all about doing both. Cheers. 3. A deck of cards workout. Here's how to use spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts to get your sweat on. Go ahead, play your hand. PS: Sign up to get a list of things to do, watch, eat, and more to your inbox every week.

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Skimm'rs

In times like these, community matters more than ever. Let us know how you (or someone you know) is making an impact by helping others. Staying educated with...Neeraj K. He's the executive director of Learn to Be – a nonprofit that tutors underserved youth online. It pairs refugees, fostered youth, and those experiencing homelessness with qualified tutors. And is looking to help more students. Learn more here. Taking care of business...Michelle M (MA). She volunteers with Girls Inc of Worcester, a nonprofit that focuses on empowering girls. Because of COVID-19, it found that many girls don't have access to menstrual products they'd usually get from a school nurse or after school program. So, the org started a program to get girls the supplies they need. Learn more here. (Some) Birthdays…theSkimm's Erika Cartagena (NY), theSkimm's Marion Lozano (NY), Shauna Nagpal (NY), Hanna Gisel (NY), Sharon Fenicle (PA), Katie McKenna (NJ), Abby Miller (IL), Amanda Magistad (FL), Mehreen Siddiqui (MD), Elyse Andrews (DE), Alexandrea Bailey (AL), Brittany Jackson (CO), Alexandrea Bailey (AL), Marilyn Sullivan (TX), Cristina Di Re (NY) *Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured.

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