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With all the excitement prevailing on Facebook, the idea, once unthinkable, that Sheryl Sandberg, the star executive, would never be driven out, seems to have become the hot topic of many languages.
Investors discuss it. Some, including yours, have claimed it. In recent days, CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other company officials have been questioned several times about it.
Even Sandberg herself would have had the impression earlier this year that she was on unstable ground. And it was before the latest revelations about the company, especially that she would have tried to limit public revelations about what the company had discovered about Russia's interference in the country. election in 2016 and launched a campaign to suppress critics, including billionaire financier George Soros.
There are many good reasons why Facebook should fire Sandberg, starting with the very dirty anti-Semitic smear of Soros. But it would be unfortunate that Sandberg eventually crack for the company. Facebook's problems go well beyond Sandberg and go up to the CEO's office. The change in the company must really start at the top.
Read it: Heads should roll on Facebook on the Soros smear – starting with Zuck
Sandberg and Facebook's reputation have fallen sharply
That Sandberg finds himself under fire is an incredible turn of events. Last year, she was widely hailed as an icon of the feminist and technological industry, thanks to her influential book, "Lean In," and to her role on Facebook, where she helped oversee its growth from a young startup to the global giant it is today.
But the public's perception of Sandberg and his company has changed dramatically over the past year, thanks to Facebook's series of scandals and fiascos. From Russian electoral interference, which society did not detect too late, to the spread of the propaganda that feeds the genocide in Myanmar, to multiple security breaches and data leaks, including that of Cambridge Analytica, to recent revelations about how she targeted her critics, Facebook has had to deal with a host of bad news.
Many of these scandals and fiascos occurred under the supervision of Sandberg. The security team was under his responsibility, especially when groups linked to Russia hijacked Facebook to spread their propaganda. Although she claims to have not heard of the Soros smear or that Facebook had engaged the public relations company that broadcast it, she oversaw the team and the communications efforts of the company. ;business.
According to the New York Times, Sandberg was spearheading the general effort to reverse the situation of Facebook critics. She also repeatedly tried to mitigate reports of Russian interference in the elections, according to the report.
Thanks to scandals and Facebook's efforts to address them, which have resulted in increased costs and decreased user growth, the company's stock has been reduced to nil. It has dropped 25% since the beginning of the year, but 39% since it reached its highest level in July.
Speculation Grows on Sandberg's Future on Facebook
In public, at least, Facebook officials are alongside Sandberg. Patrick Walker, one of the top Facebook leaders in the UK, said at a luncheon-meeting Tuesday with reporters that there was a "very sharp rise" in favor of Sandberg within the company. In an interview with CNN later in the day, Zuckerberg expressed his support for Sandberg.
"I hope we will work together for many more decades," he said.
But these testimonials of support at Sandberg resemble those given by a president just before he ousted one of his cabinet members. In his interview with CNN, Zuckerberg did not, in particular, respond directly to the question posed by Laurie Segal, Senior Technical Correspondent, namely whether or not he could "definitively state that Sheryl would remain in the same role". ". Instead, he mainly talked about the work that she has done.
These statements by company officials come amidst a growing debate about Sandberg's role and future in society – and call him outright to leave.
The head of Soros Foundation severely criticized Sandberg and the company for the smear against Soros. The anti-Facebook groups targeted by the smear have called for the immediate cessation of activities of this official, which would likely include Sandberg.
At the same time, CNBC commentator Jim Cramer said on Monday that Facebook's stock would increase if Sandberg resigned. And Anthony DiClemente, an analyst at Evercore, said Tuesday in a research note that he was responding to a growing number of investor calls questioning his possible foreclosure because of the "beating" of the negative press ".
All this may seem like just an outside noise. But Zuckerberg himself – in a seemingly unusual move – allegedly blamed Sandberg this spring after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, claiming he blamed her for the gloomy look that society had received for his public relations. The move would have left Sandberg in shock. And things have only gotten worse for the company since then.
Sacking Sandberg alone would not solve Facebook's problems
The company could do a lot worse than hold Sandberg responsible for his series of scandals. Facebook has failed dramatically in the last two years, and groups overseen by Sandberg were at the heart of these failures. She drew a disproportionate credit for the success of Facebook. It would not be unfair for her to take the fall for her failures.
But she should not be alone. She should not be his only or main scapegoat.
Sandberg answers Zuckerberg. He controls the company entirely, thanks to the disproportionate voting rights that his Facebook shares give him. He can and runs Facebook as he sees fit.
But more specifically, Zuckerberg is the one who determines the volume of resources and engineering personnel of the company to devote to particular efforts or projects, as explained recently by the company's director, Susan Desmond-Hellmann , at the Wall Street Journal. Whatever the culpability of Sandberg for the scandals that hit Facebook, the responsibility ultimately falls to Zuckerberg. He too should resign.
Or, since he told CNN that "it was not planned," he should be forced to do so, perhaps by repealing by Congress the overwhelming voting power of his actions, which constitutes the basis of his control.
But even that is not enough. Facebook would be a threat to society, no matter how enlightened and forward-thinking it is. Society itself simply has too much power. He has amassed detailed records on millions of people. With Google, he dominates digital advertising and has become a major distributor of information and news.
As it has become clear over the last two years, Facebook has a frightening ability to manipulate people's attitudes and emotions and to spread dangerous, even deadly propaganda, both on a large scale and to specifically targeted groups. It is not only a question of jeopardizing the privacy of citizens on a large scale, but also of undermining democracy and civil society.
In the end, Facebook itself must be held responsible for the damage caused. It must be divided and regulated.
Yes, Sandberg should resign for her and Facebook's failures. But this is only a beginning.
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