Jun 11, 2020 - Technology

Chris Cox returns to Facebook after leaving last year

Photo: Christophe Morin/IP3/Getty Images

Chris Cox, a longtime Facebook executive who exited the company last year after a disagreement with CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is returning as chief product officer, per the Wall Street Journal.

Why it matters: Cox is coming back at a time when Facebook faces continued criticism over its content policies and is just months away from the next U.S. presidential election, the last of which exposed the company's blind spots as to how it saw its influence elections.

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Sara Fischer
Jul 8, 2020 - Technology

Facebook auditors say it's failing on civil rights

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The findings from a new civil rights audit commissioned and released by Facebook show that the tech giant repeatedly failed to address issues of hatred, bigotry and manipulation on its platform.

Why it matters: The report comes as Facebook confronts a growing advertiser boycott and criticism for prioritizing freedom of speech over limiting misinformation and protecting users targeted by hate speech.

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Axios
Jul 8, 2020 - Podcasts

Facebook boycott organizers share details on their Zuckerberg meeting

Facebook is in the midst of the largest ad boycott in its history, with nearly 1,000 brands having stopped paid advertising in July because they feel Facebook hasn't done enough to remove hate speech from its namesake app and Instagram.

Axios Re:Cap spoke with the boycott's four main organizers, who met on Tuesday with CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other top Facebook executives, to learn why they organized the boycott, what they took from the meeting, and what comes next.

Ina Fried
14 mins ago - Technology

U.S. pushes homegrown drone industry amid China battle

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Alarmed at the prospect of relying on Chinese-made drones for public safety and monitoring critical industries, U.S. investors and the federal government are newly backing a domestic drone industry of hardware and software companies.

The big picture: The moves come as the industry continues to be led by DJI, a Chinese hardware maker — and as concerns grow both in China and the U.S. about reliance on the other country's technology.

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