Facebook To Limit Internal Discussions On Zuckerberg's Handling Of Political Content

Facebook Inc FB is placing restrictions on its employees so as to curb debate on social and political issues, Reuters reported Thursday.

What Happened: The Menlo Park, California-based company has put in place new rules that would affect the employees' ability to discuss how its executives deal with sensitive political content, a company spokesperson told Reuters.

The spokesperson revealed that Facebook  would ensure that the debate of executive decisions could be held on “appropriate channels,” without affecting work-related discussions.

“We’re updating our employee policies and work tools to ensure our culture remains respectful and inclusive,” the spokesperson said.

The Mark Zuckerberg-led company is also reportedly reinforcing its harassment policy to protect underrepresented employees and foster respectful conversation. 

Why It Matters: Facebook has its own internal social network dubbed “Workplace,” where employees can converse freely and Zuckerberg also holds a a weekly Q&A session to answer their questions, Reuters noted.

Facebook employees protested the social network’s stance on President Trump’s posts on protests related to George Floyd's death in June.

The same month, Zuckerberg told employees he wasn't going to moderate Trump, even as some staff members resigned and others staged a virtual walkout in protest.

The CEO’s stance led to a protracted advertising boycott of the social media giant spanning companies like Walt Disney Company DIS, Starbucks Corporation SBUX, Unilever Plc UN, and Verizon Communications Inc VZ.

Price Action: Facebook shares closed 3.3% lower at $254.82 on Thursday and gained almost 0.4% in the after-hours session.