this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2025
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This headline was literally my first out-loud laugh of the day. I love it.

Meta has denied directly lobbying on the TikTok ban, but the company spent a record sum lobbying in 2024, including on “Homeland Security” topics. In March 2022, the Washington Post reported that Meta paid a firm called Targeted Victory to push the narrative that TikTok is dangerous to children. And Zuckerberg himself has spent the last five years painting a picture to Congress that his monopolistic company faces great competition, actually, from Chinese companies and more importantly from China itself. This story has served Meta extraordinarily well, as he has been able to distract from Meta’s myriad privacy violations and monopolistic actions by saying it would be worse if China wins. Meta is not a monopoly, he says. It is a company fighting on behalf of America against China and Chinese companies for the soul of the internet.

“Ooh, China bad, don’t pay attention to all the evil we do.” Jackass.

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[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 14 hours ago

This is why we gotta ban TikTok!!! \s

Seriously though... Too many zucklickers on here.

[–] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

No one can actually have a billionaire by the balls, even if they're another billionaire. It's kind of the whole point of being a billionaire.

Pretty much their only weakness is literally everyone else deciding billionaires shouldn't exist, and working together to make that happen.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 8 hours ago

Trump has the power (shortly) to direct his anger at companies in ways that do let him have zuck by the balls.

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 5 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Just look at the Russian model, that's what Trump wants to do.

You can only be a billionaire, if you do what the authoritarians want. Otherwise you get arrested or pushed out a window and they absorb all your assets... I don't think all of these US billionaires thought this through to be honest.

[–] SculptusPoe@lemmy.world 103 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Why is Meta lobbying at all? Why does any private entity have the ear of presidents and congress? This is a fundamental problem with the system as a whole.

[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Why is Meta lobbying at all?

They're owned by a zionist who wants to whitewash an ongoing genocide.

[–] SculptusPoe@lemmy.world 0 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

Well, that might be the case, but I've only been fed tons of posts on FB that were pretty anti-Israel way too far in the other direction. That can't be the main issue...

[–] CitizenKong@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago

The foxes have been in the henhouse for a while. But now they don't need to hide anymore. The American oligarchy can finally shed its masks and go full-on Russia 2.0.

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 day ago

Don't forget about Party Whips, Jerrymandering, and Campaign Contributions! There's a whole slew of reasons why our democracies have gotten fucked up! Not a lot of answers on how to fix 'em, though

[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Why is Meta lobbying at all?

They want to influence public policy for their benefit.

Why does any private entity have the ear of presidents and congress?

A large part of politics is balancing the needs of different groups.

[–] SculptusPoe@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

That's fine if all the different groups have a forum where being heard isn't decided by the size of the donation.

[–] leftytighty@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Bronzebeard@lemm.ee 0 points 1 day ago

Which are groups of assets

[–] Late2TheParty@lemmy.world 88 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Billionaires are a scourge

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 39 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Once they've conquered industry they'll move on to conquering countries. No amount of money or power will satisfy them.

[–] taanegl@lemmy.ml 22 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Trump: *gives Musk favour*

Teh Zuck: Wat about me daddy UwU

[–] sundrei@lemmy.sdf.org 17 points 1 day ago

That's only fair, since Zuckerberg has a deathgrip on Trumps ass with his lips.

[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 34 points 1 day ago (2 children)
[–] Nougat@fedia.io 40 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sure, but they're rat balls, having been included with the rat penis transplant.

[–] echodot 8 points 1 day ago

In Trump hands they seem normal sized.

[–] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Lizards have testicles, they're just internal.

[–] Harvey656@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I heard he got a rat penis transplant since lizard dick wasn't cutting it anymore.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 0 points 14 hours ago

Meanwhile go watch Youtubers vacationing in China, a lot fo the narrative we're being fed is BS.

Not all of it mind you....

[–] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

pretty sure it's the other way around; big tech and their billionaires have trump like a puppet on a string.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Most of big tech actually falls under the TikTok ban possibility. He may have lobbied for it but Congress put him square in the cross hairs. So Trump effectively has a veto on Zuckerberg owning Meta.

[–] Danitos@reddthat.com 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Can we get Stormy Daniels to video tape it for us?

[–] echodot 3 points 1 day ago

Get out the macro lens

[–] MyDogLovesMe@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

Maybe he’s “just grabbing him/them by the pussy”?

[–] cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

What balls?

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] MNByChoice@midwest.social 3 points 1 day ago

Israel has Zuckerberg by the balls?

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Wish Biden had Zuck by the balls.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

"Very fine balls on both sides."

Yeah, because Zuck put his right into Trump's hands, willingly.