Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees he was reluctant to bow to the threats of a growing ad boycott, saying in private remarks that “my guess is that all these advertisers will be back on the platform soon enough.”
Zuckerberg gave his thoughts on the boycott, which now includes large brands like Starbucks and Coca-Cola, during a video town hall meeting last Friday, according to employees who attended.
In the previously unreported remarks, Zuckerberg said the boycott is more of a “reputational and a partner issue” than an economic one, according to a transcript obtained by The Information. He noted that large advertisers participating in the boycott make up a small portion of Facebook’s overall revenue, and he said, “We’re not gonna change our policies or approach on anything because of a threat to a small percent of our revenue, or to any percent of our revenue.”