In this article, Instagram users have raised concerns this week about being compelled by Meta to follow President Donald Trump’s social media accounts without their consent. A Meta representative explained in a Threads post on Wednesday that users are encountering posts from @POTUS, @VP, and @FLOTUS because these accounts are transferred during a presidential transition in the U.S.
According to Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Meta, users were not automatically made to follow any official Facebook or Instagram accounts for the President, Vice President, or First Lady. These accounts are managed by the White House, so with a new administration, the content on those pages changes.
Meta confirmed via email that users who previously followed the accounts will continue to follow them, along with the former administration’s archive accounts, during the transition of power, including the @WhiteHouse account. Trump’s recent inauguration marked the third transition from one administration to the next.
The Obama administration, which established many of the current accounts, addressed this issue in a blog post before the 2016 election, which Trump also won. They explained that the incoming White House would gain access to the White House username, URL, and retain followers but would start with no content on the timeline. An archive of content from the Obama White House accounts would remain accessible to the public.
The Obama administration also stated that all posts and materials from the accounts would be preserved with the National Archives and Records Administration, and new accounts would be created to safeguard the content. Posts from former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former First Lady Jill Biden have been moved to @potus46archive, @vp46archive, and @fotus46archive, respectively.
There has been increased political discussion on Meta’s platforms following actions by CEO Mark Zuckerberg seemingly aimed at pleasing President Trump. Zuckerberg donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, attended the event in Washington D.C., and co-hosted a celebratory reception.
Zuckerberg recently announced policy changes for Meta, such as discontinuing third-party fact-checking and ending the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion program. The company appointed Joel Kaplan, a former Republican White House staffer, as its new policy chief. In an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Zuckerberg discussed the benefits of masculinity, stating, “I think having a culture that celebrates the aggression a bit more has its own merits.”
Critics have criticized Zuckerberg’s shift towards MAGA, as shown in the video.
