Mark Zuckerberg will meet this week with a group of conservatives, including Glenn Beck, Dana Perino, S.E. Cupp, and a representative from Donald Trump’s campaign, over a report that the site is suppressing conservative news stories.
The Facebook CEO is holding the meeting to assuage the concerns of conservative users after allegations that the social media website suppressed news stories like “Ted Cruz, CPAC, and The Blaze” from its trending topics section, Beck wrote in a Facebook post Sunday.
Beck has come out in defense of attending, after a Drudge Report headline said that he was “groveling at Zuckerberg’s feet.”
“I saw this tonight,” he said. “The headline does not reflect the story. Nor does it reflect my view. But why would that stop Matt Drudge?”
“Also, the next headline underneath [suggesting that the group was anti-Trump], again dismisses the facts,” he added. “Trump’s team has been invited and, I was told, has accepted the invite.”
Trump adviser Barry Bennett will reportedly be in attendance.
“We have complained that the left-wing media lied and distorted news,” Beck wrote. “Is this not a prime example.”
The talk show host first posted news of his attendance on his Facebook page Sunday and said that he was excited about the possibilities.
“Mark wanted to meet with 8 or ten of us to explain what happened and assure us that it won’t happen again,” he said. “It would be interesting to look him in the eye as he explains and a win for all voices if we can come to a place of real trust with this powerful tool.”
Beck said that while he supports a private business’ decision to run it as they choose, seeing an “Independent” Facebook would uphold American ideals of “freedom of speech and freedom of association.”
“It will make lasting difference if he actually wants a place where all ideas are treated equally, even those he, or ‘they’, may disagree with,” he added.
A CNN report said that S.E. Cupp was excited for the opportunity.
“I’m going in with an open mind and an eagerness to learn more,” she said. “Conservatives and Silicon Valley actually come down on the same side of many issues and share some common concerns. “
