World’s largest social media company, Facebook has rejected call from co-founder Chris Hughes to breakup the company.
Hughes on Thursday in a lengthy New York Times opinion piece call for splitting of the social media firm in three.
Hughes co-founded Facebook in 2004 at Harvard with Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz.
Since then Facebook has grown to become the world’s largest social media platform with more than 2 billion users.
Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, adding to its portfolio that already included Facebook Messenger; each used by more than 1 billion people.
Hughes left Facebook in 2007, and has said in a LinkedIn post he made half a billion dollars for his three years of work.
Citing a sense of responsibility, he wants WhatsApp and Instagram to be made into separate companies.
“We are a nation with a tradition of reining in monopolies, no matter how well intentioned the leaders of these companies may be.
Mark’s power is unprecedented and un-American.
“It’s been 15 years since I co-founded Facebook at Harvard, and I haven’t worked at the company in a decade. But I feel a sense of anger and responsibility.
“Mark is a good, kind person.
But I’m angry that his focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks.
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“And I’m worried that Mark has surrounded himself with a team that reinforces his beliefs instead of challenging them.
“The government must hold Mark accountable. For too long, lawmakers have marveled at Facebook’s explosive growth and overlooked their responsibility to ensure that Americans are protected and markets are competitive,” Hughes wrote.
Reacting, Facebook spokesman, Nick Clegg, in a statement said “Facebook accepts that with success comes accountability. But you don’t enforce accountability by calling for the break up of a successful American company”.
He added: “Accountability of tech companies can only be achieved through the painstaking introduction of new rules for the internet. That is exactly what Mark Zuckerberg has called for”.
Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s previous head of news feed who recently took over Instagram, responded to Hughes on Twitter.
“Regulation is important and necessary, but I’m not convinced breaking us up is the right path. Would love to chat about it if you’re open,” Mosseri wrote.
