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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Annabel Nugent

Sacha Baron Cohen hits out at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg following Trump loss: ‘One down, one to go’

Photograph: Getty

Sacha Baron Cohen has a damning message for Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Responding to news on Saturday (7 November) that declared Joe Biden as the winner of the US election, the Borat actor shared a tweet sounding hopeful that Donald Trump’s exit would be followed by Zuckerberg’s.

In his post – which has since received nearly 130,000 likes – Baron Cohen shared a photo of Trump and Zuckerberg shaking hands accompanied by a caption, reading: “One down. One to go.”

The Bruno star has long been a staunch critic of the social media giant and its founder.

In November last year, the 49-year-old launched a scathing attack on social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter, calling them “the greatest propaganda machine in history”.

Baron Cohen alleged that the companies amplified hatred and violence in society. He said: “Think about it. Facebook, YouTube and Google, Twitter and others – they reach billions of people.

“The algorithms these platforms depend on deliberately amplify the type of content that keeps users engaged – stories that appeal to our baser instincts and that trigger outrage and fear.”

He also condemned Facebook for running political adverts without fact-checking.

Since his 2019 speech, the actor has remained vocal in his objections to Zuckerberg and the 36-year-old’s platform. 

In his hugely popular Borat sequel – which was released in October – the actor again took aim at Facebook’s lax fact-checking measures.

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