Freedom looks good on you, Zuck!

Mark Zuckerberg made an announcement this week that, to be honest, I didn’t see coming.

Meta is going to dial back its censorship and focus more on free speech. 

They’re scrapping the fact-checkers, moving a large chunk of the team from California to Texas, simplifying content policies, and placing more emphasis on allowing open expression.

Why now? Who knows.

Maybe he’s tired of seeing Elon Musk have all the fun over at X. Or maybe he’s trying to cozy up to the new administration; he did mention working with President Trump to push back on global censorship—he even called out Europe and China for being similarly anti-free speech and pro-heavy censorship. 

Maybe it’s just a smart business move. He’s reading the market signals and recognizing that freedom is trending, so jumping on board now is a good choice for his bottom line.

Or maybe it’s something else. 

What if he’s just a guy who’s tired of being the middleman for political agendas, of having to censor criticism of the official narrative—or anyone who doesn’t toe the approved line. Maybe he doesn’t like being the thought police. 

In his video announcement, he certainly looks like a guy who is finally feeling like he can breathe a little. Like his days of being dragged in front of Congress to be grilled and threatened are finally in the past. He looks healthier than he’s looked in years.

Honestly, I have no idea what brought this change, and I’m not here to question his motives. Because at the end of the day, this is a win for free speech, and I’ll take it.

Zuckerberg acknowledged that his previous fact-checking system “destroyed more trust than it created,” and he’s right. When you start censoring people, even if you believe you’re trying to protect them, it creates a culture of fear and misinformation.

This shift by a major organization toward less coercion and more open discussion brings to mind the themes in The Tuttle Twins and the Fate of the Future. In it, Ethan and Emily learn that a free society doesn’t rely on coercion—it works because people communicate openly and persuasively.

The twins discover that the fate of the future depends on cooperation and peaceful persuasion—not the power of the state.

As I see it, Zuckerberg’s decision—however complicated the reasons behind it—reminds me of these same ideas. 

Open debate, freedom of expression, and the ability to communicate without fear of being silenced: these are what help good ideas rise to the top, and bad ones get weeded out.

In the end, we’re all “safer” and better-off when freedom wins the day.

So, here’s to The Zuck embracing free speech. Let’s see if this shift sticks.

Regardless of why it’s happening, I’m glad to see it.

— Connor