Mark Zuckerberg just sent a message to Donald Trump: 'Ban TikTok, I'm your boy'
On the eve of the U.S. Supreme Court enforcing TikTok's ultimate fate, the timing of Meta's new content policy is more than just siding with the new administration.
Mark Zuckerberg just sent a clear message to the U.S. government: Meta is ready for TikTok’s ban on January 19th.
Dressed in his now-signature Skims tee, gold chain and sporting a $895,500 Greubel Forsey watch, Zuckerberg announced that Meta’s content filters will align more closely with X’s approach, abandoning fact-checking programs in favour of a “community notes” system. In his statement, he emphasized the importance of free expression and reduced platform moderation. Translation? A not-so-subtle message to policymakers: “We’re open for business. Whatever you need.”
At first glance, this move seems puzzling. X is bleeding advertisers thanks to Elon Musk’s erratic behaviour and lawsuits against major brands like Mars and Unilever. Its valuation has crashed from $5.7 billion in 2022 to just $650 million.
Media agencies advising brands on how to spend their precious ad dollars will belch up concerns about “brand safety.” But here’s the truth: Brands are desperate for eyeballs in an ad-avoidant world. This shift gives them carte blanche to chase attention without worrying about virtue signalling. Mark knows how to keep advertisers happy in ways Elon doesn’t. Between the benign Meta Oversight Board and community guidelines engineered to avoid idiosyncratic brand risks (see Instagram’s “free the nipple” rebellion), advertisers can bank on Meta’s predictability. And let’s not pretend brands care much about social issues. Go woke, go broke, right?
“We are committed to ensuring that our platform remains a space for free expression while maintaining the safety and integrity of our community.”
Mark Zuckerberg
In any case, the wind has shifted for corporate America.
Big Tech, VCs, and power brokers are bending the knee to President-Elect Donald Trump—and, by extension, Trump’s pal, Elon. Mark is, well, on the back foot here, having donated a paltry $1 million to Trump’s campaign. For a man worth $200 billion, that’s tossing beer money compared to Elon’s rumoured contributions.
So, like his longer hair, Zuck needs to evolve Meta’s look.
First, Meta’s Vice President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg—who played a key role in Trump’s Facebook ban after January 6th—stepped down last week. He’s been replaced by Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican known for his right-leaning views.
Next, martial arts mogul and Trump ally Dana White joined Meta’s board. White’s role as UFC president makes him a strategic ally for building bridges with the incoming administration.
So, Meta’s decision to relax its content policies and simplify its moderation approach might seem like a play to win favour with the incoming administration. Do you want free speech? Meta’s got it—no problem.
But was this shift really necessary? The timing suggests it’s more than just stroking the brows of new government allies. TikTok has always been Meta’s biggest threat. On the eve of enforcing TikTok’s ban, this move looks more like a calculated bid to solidify Meta’s position as the go-to alternative in a post-TikTok world.
It wasn’t that long ago that TikTok had Meta up at night, worried.
During lockdowns, TikTok thrived. But in contrast, by 2021, Zuckerberg was in the throes of a mid-life crisis, rebranding Facebook as “Meta” and pitching a metaverse dream that burned $13.7 billion in its first year. Meanwhile, Apple neutered Meta’s data-tracking capabilities. As the definitive antidote to pandemic boredom, TikTok surged past a billion users, pumping $200 million into creator support.
TikTok’s secret? Discovery. Unlike Instagram, you didn’t need to be ‘hot’ or fashionable; its interest-based algorithm rewrote the rules. Friend-based platforms like Facebook and Instagram scrambled to copy its success.
Yet TikTok’s rise wasn’t without controversy. Its Chinese ownership posed national security concerns, and Joe Biden overturning Trump’s initial ban proved that TikTok’s popularity made it untouchable—for a time. At this point, Zuck was still lost and hallucinating about us all living together in his 3D headset virtual reality.
Now, TikTok’s meteoric success is faltering. Creators complain about poor support and a drift away from its “don’t make ads, make TikToks” ethos. Users, too, are tiring of its endless feed of mindless trends, losing hours to what feels like the crystal blue meth of screen addiction.
“Even if TikTok doesn’t get banned, the magic of the FYP is forever gone.”
Coco Moncoe (1.1m followers on TikTok)
The fallout is already underway. Brands and creators are hedging their bets, pulling back investments, and pivoting strategies. As the largest streaming platform, YouTube may emerge as the big winner. Dominating big and small screens, it quietly rakes in ad dollars, free from TikTok’s chaos. Sure, MrBeast duct-taping a Lamborghini isn’t art, but it’s a solid place to sell a chocolate bar.
Still, Zuckerberg isn’t worried about YouTube. Meta and Google have coexisted comfortably in the Big Tech ecosystem. For now, TikTok is the real target.
Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments from Bytedance (TikTok’s parent company) that a ban breaches the First Amendment. What is the workaround? Most speculate that Bytedance will never sell TikTok’s secret weapon—its algorithm—to a U.S. entity. So, there isn't.
TikTok is poised to become a powerful propaganda tool, and no one understands this better than Trump, with his 15 million followers on the platform. Trump has filed an amicus brief urging the Court to pause the ban and allow his incoming administration to address the issue through political means.
For Zuckerberg, this is more than bolstering his efforts to kiss the ring of the new guy in power. He’s delivering what might be TikTok’s coffin lid, positioning Meta as the classic American-made alternative.
For the first time, TikTok might not make it out of this.
And even if it does—will it ever be the same?
I’m Jonathan, co-founder and CEO of And Rising, building the future’s favourite brands. If you like what you read above, I have a free weekly newsletter with all the must-see headlines on brands you might enjoy.