Mark Zuckerberg's Meta orders removal of tampons from men's bathrooms. Internet divided

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta orders removal of tampons from men's bathrooms. Internet divided

As the United States prepared for Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, unveiled a series of sweeping policy changes aligned with the anticipated conservative agenda of the new administration. Among them was the removal of tampons and sanitary pads from men’s bathrooms in Meta offices, a decision that quickly ignited debate across social media platforms.

Facilities managers at Meta’s offices in Silicon Valley, Texas, and New York were instructed to remove these supplies, which had previously been made available for non-binary and transgender employees. The move was first reported by The New York Times (NYT) as part of Meta’s broader effort to align its internal and external policies with values linked to the incoming political regime.

The removal of menstrual products from men’s bathrooms became a focal point of online debate. Many users on X (formerly Twitter) expressed disappointment, criticising the decision as a rollback of inclusivity efforts.

“Meta’s idea of inclusion was always performative. Now they’re just showing their true colours,” one user wrote. Another commented sarcastically, “Guess Meta’s next step is banning empathy from the office altogether.”

However, some applauded the move, describing it as a reflection of “common sense policies.” One user wrote, “This aligns with conservative values,” while another added, “Not totally support this decision.”

"Men who work for Meta needed tampons for what exactly?" a user questioned. Another noted, "The fact that there were ever tampons in the men’s bathrooms at Meta is a good indication that Zuckerberg should never be trusted."

In a significant policy shift, Meta also terminated its US fact-checking programme, replacing it with a community-based notes system inspired by the model used on X. CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended the decision, arguing that traditional fact-checking methods had been “too politically biased” and had eroded public trust.

“Our content moderation practices have gone too far,” Zuckerberg said in a statement. He announced plans to lift restrictions on speech across Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, to “restore free expression.”

These changes included loosening moderation rules to permit posts containing statements of hatred against certain races, religions, and sexual orientations, as well as claims linking mental illness to gender or sexual orientation.

The policy overhaul sparked internal discord within Meta. On Workplace, the company’s internal communication platform, members of the @Pride group, which advocates for LGBTQ+ issues, voiced their concerns. At least one employee announced their resignation, while others signalled intentions to leave.

Alex Schultz, Meta’s Chief Marketing Officer, reportedly defended the changes in a message to the @Pride group, asserting that transgender rights had become overly politicised. Schultz suggested that loosening speech restrictions would foster societal debate, citing the overturning of Roe v. Wade as an example of how contentious issues could benefit from open discourse.

Zuckerberg also addressed the changes in an interview with podcast host Joe Rogan, denying that they were directly intended to appease the incoming Trump administration. However, he acknowledged that the election influenced his thinking.

“We got to this point where there were these things you couldn’t say that were just mainstream discourse,” Zuckerberg explained.

The policy overhaul has received mixed reactions. President-elect Donald Trump and conservative groups praised Meta’s pivot, viewing it as a shift towards their values. Conversely, President Joe Biden and LGBTQ+ advocacy organisations expressed concern about the potential rise in online and offline harassment stemming from the relaxed content moderation rules.