Mark Zuckerberg Apologizes For Ways in Which Facebook -- His Work -- Was Used To Divide People

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote an apology on the social-media network. (Manu Fernandez/Associated Press)

Facebook chief executive mark Zuckerberg spent a thoughtful Yom Kippur, ending the holiest day of the year for Jewish people with an apology issued on his social media platform. The Washington Post shares the story:

“For those I hurt this year, I ask forgiveness and I will try to be better,” he wrote in a brief post. “For the ways my work was used to divide people rather than bring us together, I ask for forgiveness and I will work to do better.”

Zuckerberg's mea culpa came surrounded by mounting evidence that Russians used his social media platform to spread propaganda and influence voter sentiment against Hillary Clinton. Beyond the presidential race, Russian ads are targeting race relations in America and other core social values differences, trying to stoke deep divisions and hatred among citizens. 

A little more than a week ago, Facebook announced it would turn over to Congress copies of more than 3,000 advertisements that a shadowy Russian company bought for $100,000 from June 2015 to May 2017. The ads were linked to about 470 fake accounts likely operated out of Russia. Alex Stamos, Facebook’s chief security officer, said last month that the vast majority of the ads didn’t specifically mention the presidential election, but it touched on divisive topics, such as LGBT rights, race, immigration and gun rights.

For his part, Zuckerberg promised: "“I wish I could tell you that we’re going to be able to stop all interference, but that just wouldn’t be realistic. There will always be bad actors in the world, and we can’t prevent all governments from all interference. But we can make it harder . . . and that’s what we’re going to focus on doing.”