The New Facebook Upgrade

The following is a work of fiction. (Creative Response, Article Form.)

Facebook CEO and creator Mark Zuckerberg announced today that the popular social networking site would be releasing an upgrade later this month. Facebook has faced significant backlash in recent months, and has now been accused of being a co-conspirator in what President Trump has been calling “large scale election fraud”. The President’s initial allegations about vote tampering proved unfounded after extensive review of the election polls. However, a new study by (Presidential declaration?) that is now being called everything from a “macro study” to a “meta-analysis” by the Trump’s Authoritarian government, has suggested that the media, including Facebook and its CEO, should now be held accountable for generating “unpatriotic opinion” amongst the American Electorate. Facebook Communications officers have not yet responded to these allegations. Zuckerberg has not hesitated to move forward in the app upgrade that has been said to be in the works since voter numbers from the polls were being presented.

While the nation waited with baited breath for the results, Zuckerberg says he knew the time had come for a bigger shift in online accountability. The mandatory extension soon to arrive on every Facebook page is a variation on the memory or “time capsule” feature. The feature allows users to view old posts and memories from their previous Facebook activities.

“I think the power of memory is underestimated; you know, we have this idea of nostalgia, that looking backwards is always a warm, feel-good thing. But watching [current social and political events unfold] this, I’ve realized that memory can be a tool, a way to remember where we’ve come from. No one wants to see what happened in Montana happen again, this is a way to help remember that.” -Zuckerberg

Zuckerberg was fairly tight-lipped about the app, and took the fifth in relation to any economics, revenue, or third party information sharing. He did, however, elaborate on his own expectations for the new feature:

“You know, I think people are going to respond to this. They’re going to be seeing things come up on their histories, things they’re not proud of, but that they are responsible for. And some will be mad, especially if it’s something they try to ignore and it gets posted more publicly. But seeing the things we say to others, just the way that happened, and seeing the affect these things have had? What could hit closer to home?”

The social media revolutionary has shared the technology as open source, and other media companies are flocking to add their own version of this feature. Comments from Instagram, Snapchat, and RevengePorn.com were all positive, and all suggested that this new feature would be cheaper than the looming lawsuits projected to follow the passing of Bill 476-A. If passed, the bill would allow consumers to hold media companies accountable for “partisan content”; companies will now be required to present a pre-approved “fair and balanced” perspective of American politics and government action. The Trump Administration has insisted, that “the proof is in the research”, and that “media bias has gone on for too long” (Spicer, May 2017).

Following the detonations in Shelby, MT in April, the report, named The Trump Review of Media and Communication suggested that “generating unpatriotic opinion” was identified in their study to be in “direct violation of upholding constitutional [and therefore required] freedoms of the press”. Social, entertainment, and communication media was collectively named responsible for uncomfortably close election results, promoting racial tensions by allowing unregulated interaction between users, and encouraging social activism to an irresponsible degree, leading to “damaging discord and ignorance” about the Trump Administration.

The actions taken by American media companies have since been focused on returning responsibility to the user of social media. Other efforts have included Hollywood’s pledge to make “other side of the story” films – movies that will show the previously unpopular and therefore unexplored sides of history. Government support and partial funding has already been put in place for films already in production: Films exploring the suffering of the Nazi Party leaders during WWII, the frustrations of a young slave owner in Mississippi, and the demands faced by American KKK leaders in their tenures are scheduled to be released next year, and will be required as “balanced viewing” under 476-A in primary through post-secondary educational institutions.

Zuckerberg still seems unconcerned with the new parameters his and other media companies must now operate within. Although he declined to respond to questions related to Facebook’s new-found political reticence, he continued to express hope for the future of social media:

“Our needs as a society are changing. This is really about reminding the user who is responsible for what is being posted: they are.”

The new feature will be appearing on user’s profiles by the end of the month. Citizens are being encouraged by the Trump Administration to consider the impact media has on them, and “take back their boundaries”. It seems to be a popular decision; in combination with new communication sanctions in place and the inevitable passing of 476-A, companies are choosing to stay available in America and find ways to satisfy the new requirements. It is with these careful cultivation efforts that Americans can rest easy in the knowledge of government supported “ethical, balanced production” that is fast becoming a trademark of President Trump.