The most outspoken Trump supporter in Silicon Valley is leaving Facebook’s board
VoxOct 05, 2021
The Facts
Peter Thiel, a tech entrepreneur and VC, will step down from Facebook's parent company Meta later this year.
A board member since 2005, he helped usher the company through unprecedented growth and lucrative acquisitions, but also public scandals surrounding user data, content moderation, and other externalities.
The Spin
Right narrative
Thiel was a conservative stalwart -- a rarity in Silicon Valley -- who tried to advocate for free speech through his position on the board of the tech giant, which nevertheless succumbed to pressure from the Democrat-led media and implemented measures to supress conservative views.
Left narrative
Thiel is known for being a political contrarian with unfortunate judgement, who was largely responsible for Facebook's controversial decision not to fact-check political ads ahead of the 2020 elections. His politics have finally become a distraction from Meta's business goals as it tries to launch itself into the metaverse.