To: Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta
From: Center for Countering Digital Hate and our supporters
Dear Mr. Zuckerberg,
Political violence is becoming a dangerously ordinary part of American life. Assailants have repeatedly tried to assassinate President Trump. A gunman killed Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman. Across the country, online threats and harassment are pushing both leaders and everyday Americans out of public life.
New research from the Center for Countering Digital Hate shows that after Meta reduced enforcement in January 2025, violent threats, hate, and harassment targeting elected officials increased sharply on Facebook.
CCDH researchers analyzed nearly 8 million Facebook comments directed at members of Congress from both major parties. In the six months after Meta’s policy changes:
- Violent threats and hate targeting elected officials quadrupled.
- Bullying and harassment doubled.
- Threats against President Trump doubled.
Meta failed to act on violent threats aimed at public figures, including a user saying the President of the United States “deserves a bullet through his head,” and another saying they hoped someone would “blow your brains out” to a member of Congress.
These are threats that normalize violence to the point of threatening democracy. When Meta fails to stop them, the consequences reach far beyond politics, harming children, families, faith communities, and anyone left to wonder whether a violent threat online could become real.
In 2019, you said Meta had a responsibility to remove content “when it could cause real danger.” You also said some speech can restrict others’ right to speak. Meta’s actions now contradict that principle.
With the midterms approaching, Meta must not allow its platforms to become engines of threats and intimidation.
We urge you to:
- Restore proactive enforcement against violent threats, incitement, hateful conduct, bullying, and harassment.
- Release data showing how Meta is enforcing these policies.
- Commit to these actions before Americans vote in the November general elections.
Americans have the right to participate in public life without being threatened into silence. All of us have the right to engage online without fearing for our safety.
Sincerely,
CCDH and our supporters
