Zuckerberg Defends Facebook's Political Ads Policy

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg doubled down on the company's decision to forgo fact-checking political ads on the platform this week, arguing that "people should be able to see for themselves what politicians are saying." Speaking at Georgetown University, the billionaire executive called digital speech the new "fifth estate" and said the move -- which reverses a previous policy banning political ads containing “false or misleading content" -- would help protect it. He did not take questions from reporters. The comments triggered a new wave of debate about the tech giant's responsibility in regulating information on the platform. Democrats and civil rights groups have condemned the policy, claiming that it gives candidates a pass to lie and spread misinformation. Some conservatives, meanwhile, have applauded it for upholding free speech.