RADIOJanuary 07, 2025

Is This the Real Reason Facebook Got a "Conservative" Makeover?

Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg recently announced a surprising 180-degree turnaround for Facebook and Instagram. The companies will no longer use third-party fact-checkers to censor users. Instead, they will switch to a community notes system, much like Elon Musk’s X uses. Zuckerberg also lamented the political bias of elitist fact checkers and added Trump supporter Dana White to Meta’s Board of Directors. But can we trust this “conservative” Big Tech makeover? Glenn explains what he believes is REALLY driving Zuckerberg to seemingly embrace free speech once again.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: I want to talk to you, did you see what just happened with Facebook, Stu? And Mark Zuckerberg?

STU: Yeah.

GLENN: Yeah.

STU: Yeah.

GLENN: Yeah.

STU: Uh-huh. Fascinating.

GLENN: Uh-huh. Yeah. It is.

And I'm wondering what is happening here.

You know, beyond the -- beyond the headline.

Here it is, just so you know.

Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday morning, that content moderation. And other restrictions on speech will be lifted across Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms, as Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Huh. Now, wait. Hold on just a second.

What?

So you know, all traffic decline has been as high as 85 to 90 percent across all Blaze media pages. So when I've said. I mean, we've had -- and, Stu, you can -- you probably know the numbers better than I do.

We're having more success and a bigger platform, bigger voice, than any time in my career.

In the last three years.

The show and everything is just on fire!

And yet, our traffic on social media, has declined by 85 to 90 percent?

It's just not possible! Okay? There's no way, other than, we've been severely contained, if you will.

And, you know, I would like to ask Mark Zuckerberg, where do I go to get my audience back?

Where do I -- you know, you've kind of -- people have kind of fallen out of the habit. If you get all of your news from Facebook, God forbid.

Or Instagram.

We've been so suppressed, all of a sudden, are we going to pop back up?

It would be interesting to see. By the way, this is why your direct support to Blaze TV, means so much.

We wouldn't have been able to survive everything, if we hadn't had built TheBlaze. And built it the way we did. So thank you for your subscription. If you haven't subscribed, please do today.

So he's ending all of the -- the content moderation.

Now, what he did before, was to go to places, that, you know, they're absolute experts.

You know, like the Southern Poverty Law Center. They know what's going on. Poynter Institute they know what's true.

And they've decided, that they are going to go back to their roots, I'm quoting.

And focus on reducing mistakes.

Simplifying our policies. And restoring free expression on our platforms. More specifically, we're going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with community notes, similar to X!

Now, hmm.

Hang on just a second.

Wasn't X the most dangerous platform in the world?

Weren't those community notes just not enough?

The company's third party fact-checking program was put into place, following Trump's first election to manage content and misinformation on its platforms, which executives conceded was a result of political pressure.

But now they say, they've just gone too far.

We went to independent, third party fact-checkers says the global chief of affairs officer at Meta. It's become clear, there's too much political bias in what they choose to fact-check.

Because basically, they get to fact-check whatever they see on the platform.

STU: No!

It can't be true!

No!

Too much bias for the fact-checkers.

But they're just checking facts, Glenn.

GLENN: Yes. I know. I know.

Isn't that weird?

Now, listen to this.

I mean, today, I think today's show is kind of -- kind of based on, no!

Really? You know. The things that are happening now. Wait until next hour.

I'm going to tell you a story, that is -- is just jaw, dropping in how the world works, between you and the elites.

Here's a case, in this hour. We're talking about Facebook.

How does it work between you and the elites?

Well, they didn't listen to you. They wanted to shut you up.

They went to the elites, who were on the winning side last time. And said, okay.

What do we need to do?

What do we need to do, to make sure that, you know, we're on your side? And we can get all that government money.

And nobody will hassle us.

What do we need to do?

So they did it. And they went to the elite's selection of fact-checkers.

Now that the world has changed, at least here in America.

Now, they're still not listening to you.

This isn't because you said something. This is because Donald Trump has changed America.

And now they see the writing on the walls. And so, again, it's not you.

It's power! And it's disgusting. The company is ending their fact-checkers, completely.

And it will instead, rely on the platform users to false flag -- or, yeah. Flag false or misleading content.

Instead of going to some so-called. This is Facebook saying this.

Instead of going to some so-called expert, it will rely on the community.

And the people on the platform, to provide their own commentary.

To -- to something that they've read.

This is what freedom of speech is!

There's no -- there's no expert that sits around in your -- you know -- in your -- in your town, that checks everything somebody says. And then says, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

That's untrue.

And they have a political bias?

It just doesn't happen in real life. But, again, let's remember that social media, is not real life.

But at least it's starting -- maybe, it will start reflecting it a little bit more. Where you have the freedom to say, what you think.

STU: But -- for one quick second.

Because Zuckerberg and Elon Musk have like a rivalry.

Remember, they were going to have a fight? Like, a cage match, a year or two ago. There's a rivalry here.

For him to come out, and say this, he said this on video, Zuckerberg.

Saying, that they would go to -- not just go to community notes. Not just get rid of their fact-checkers. But go to their community notes. As he said, similar to the way X does it.

He actually admitted that basically, we tried something. They tried something. Theirs is better. We're going with theirs.

It's like a tech bro, you know, federalism.

That's -- that's a good thing. And I think a tough admission for a guy like Mark Zuckerberg.

I mean, I -- I am with you, in that, I think they've run this so poorly.

And they have taken companies and content companies. And given them this impression.

That they could advertise to people. Gain followers, and then get their content distributed. And then pull the rug out from underneath them, years ago. And destroyed to any and dozens of websites.

And companies, because of it.

That being said, this does kind of seem like a good change. I don't know if it's just, Glenn, them kissing Trump's butt.

And realizing, if Trump comes in, he's going to be a different kind of president. And in a different environment. And they better change, or they will get hammered.

Or if it's a real change. But either way, I think it's a positive one.

GLENN: Well, you know me. I always look for the best in people. Honestly.

STU: You do.

GLENN: I am kind of a poor judge of character, because of that. Because I -- I see people for who I think they could be. Maybe. At times.

And I kind of look at it like, I think that's who they really are going to be. And they usually disappoint. Because people don't become the people they could be, most times. Instead, they settle for what they allow, or what they've allowed themselves to become. Because they don't have a true center of truth. They don't know who they are. And how they relate to all of eternal truths.

And so they get lost really easily. But when I sat with Zuckerberg, this is more in line with the Zuckerberg that I sat with.

However, you know, I -- can I was -- I think I was -- what did we decide, Stu?

Greatly conned with Zuckerberg.

STU: Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I mean, we went back and forth on it, I think.

GLENN: Yeah. We did.

STU: Because I do think there's a part of him, that would like to be clear of all of this.

GLENN: Yes.

STU: I think he has other, you know, large goals in his -- in his life, other than navigate every political thing that pops up.

GLENN: So I am so glad, you said that.

What are his big goals?

What does he really want to do? Do you know?

STU: I --

GLENN: What is he focusing on?

STU: Hmm. I mean, I -- he has gone through several faces, right.

The company started going towards the metaverse. That changed the company to meta.

A couple years ago.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

STU: That -- that was --

GLENN: That tells you everything you need to know.

Tells you everything to know.

Meta is all about virtual reality, correct.

So virtual reality.

Guess who has invested billions of dollars in VR?

The United States Army, Navy, and Air Force.

All going to virtual reality.

STU: Hmm.

GLENN: Okay?

Meta has lost about $50 billion in its Reality Labs division and the Meta verse. So what -- so what? What's happening here?

I think what this is, partially. I mean, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. To some free.

But I think partially, what this is about, is making sure that the government contracts don't stop with Meta.

Make sure, that they are able to get some of that money, from the United States, in the use of VR. Because that's where he really -- where his heart is.

That's what he really wants to do.

Now, they lost $50 billion in their reality labs. However, if you look at Facebook's revenue, they're subsidizing all of this stuff.

Facebook, the revenue was expected to go up to $100 billion in 2024.

Facebook's advertising revenue is now expected to grow over $127 billion by 2027. So that's the cash cow. But where his heart is, is VR.

And AR. He wants to make sure that he gets -- he's not off the government teat. Otherwise, his -- his real passion is gone.

I think that's what's happening.

Speculation, but I think that's what's happening.

STU: It's got to be part of it, right? It's got to be part of it.

GLENN: Yeah. Yeah.

STU: I wonder and hope that it is more than that.

Because I had the same reaction to Elon Musk, when he started having this transition of real skepticism. I didn't buy it.

The guy has been the biggest climate activist in America. Why would we believe all of a sudden, he's coming around to these sorts of ideas?

It does seem now, that that's pretty legitimate from Elon Musk. Could it be legitimate from Zuckerberg?

Remember, he's done some of this stuff before the election.

He did signal this stuff.

He did testimony.

He outed some of the government intrusions, before the election happened. He called Trump a badass after the assassination attempt.

GLENN: Correct.

He said, that was his turning point. Was the assassination attempt.

He said, that's when he realized, oh, this guy is really a badass. This guy is actually -- you know, what he says he is. To some degree, at least. According to Mark Zuckerberg.

But there's something else that Mark Zuckerberg has done to Facebook, that is very important and interesting.

So guess who else is joining Meta now?

In another announcement, they've decided, that Meta is going to have three new members on its board of directors, one of which is Dana White. What do you think of that one, Stu?

STU: I mean, it's fascinating. It's a huge Trump ally.

Big Trump supporter. Spoke at the convention. On Trump's behalf.

Now, you know, Zuckerberg is into the sort of UFC stuff.

Right? That's part of his world.

But, I mean, it's -- think of the change. Think of the people being kicked off Facebook. Think of where we were, not that long ago. With Facebook.

GLENN: Four years ago. We were just -- we knew we were walking into a bloodbath. We're walking into a buzz saw.

STU: Yeah.

GLENN: And now look at what we're walking into.

STU: Glenn, I was thinking back into the book, the history of the future. By Blake Harris.

We had him on a bunch of times. It was a story of Palmer Lucky. The guy who invented the Oculus Rift and became Meta Quest. He developed that device in his trailer.

And he eventually got bought out by Zuckerberg, for, you know, a billion dollars. Eventually was fired because he gave $10,000 to a group that was putting up an anti-Hillary Clinton billboard.

GLENN: Right. That's right.

STU: They -- they tried to destroy this guy, completely.

GLENN: Yeah.

STU: Now, in the interim, built a 14 billion-dollar other separate company.

GLENN: Yeah. So he's --
(laughter)

STU: He -- you know, Palmer Lucky.

GLENN: I wonder if we can even get him on the phone now.

Because we had him on the show when he was destroyed.

STU: Yeah. We had the offer --

GLENN: Oh, you're right. Yeah, that's right.

STU: But the story was like, painted a picture of Zuckerberg, of like this guy. You know, it struck me like he was some Huffington Post blogger, running Facebook and Instagram.

This person, who we have seen here in the last 24 hours and over the past few months, seems like a totally different guy.

Whether that's just self-preservation or it's real, it's better.

GLENN: Self-preservation. I think.

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Watch Glenn Beck's FULL Interview with Dr. Jeremiah Johnston HERE

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Unveiling the secret to transforming angry boys into real men

The world has a plentiful, seemingly endless supply of angry boys. What it's lacking is real MEN. Glenn Beck shares the secret that our young men must learn if they truly want to protect and perfect our country.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: There's a difference between a revival and an awakening. We are in a revival right now, but that doesn't necessarily lead to anything. Except, oh, I have to re-learn those principles. But that doesn't mean you apply them in your life. Okay?

That's an awakening. There's been two great awakenings in American history. One brought us the American Revolution. The second one brought us the Civil War and the freedom of slaves.

We have the possibility of going into a third great awakening. That's the only thing that will save us. If you don't know the difference between a revival and an awakening. Let me give you the negative print of a godly awakening. Our kids right now, they don't have any purpose. They don't have any meaning.

They look at everything, and it doesn't -- it's not real. None of it is real. It's money. It's fame.

It's -- you know, it's ever changing truths and definitions. And they have no purpose in their life. Okay?

So they're looking for that. Because man has to have purpose in his life. Man has to search for meaning.

So they're searching for meaning. And they found a group of people that actually mean something. And they're willing to die for it. And it's ISIS.

And so they're like, at least these people believe in something. They believe it. And they're willing to die for it. I'm going to stand with them. And they put that twisted understanding into action. That's the -- that is -- that's an awakening. It's just an awakening to the dark side. And that one is already happening. It has to happen on the good side. And let me speak directly to young men: Look, you are inheriting a very loud, angry, cynical and worst of all spiritually starving and malnourished society. And you are being sold a future of cheap pleasures and hollow heroes and screens with blue light that just rob you of your strength, one distracted second after another.

And in the middle of all that noise, may I just give you one piece of instruction. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report or praise-worthy, seek those things.

Don't admire them. Don't nod at them. Seek them!

Hunt them. Chase them. Build your life around those things. A man who will do that. A boy. A young man who will do that, will become different. Noticeably different.

He will stop letting the culture feed him garbage. He stops applauding the trivial. He stops laughing at the obscene or cheering for the cruel.

He will become a curator of -- of real, lasting beauty in an age that has forgotten what beauty even looks like.

When other men are chasing down or holding up cynicism, this man holds up hope!

When everyone around him is chasing dopamine, he chooses discipline. When others will blame their circumstance, he'll take responsibility for his own action. When the world worships the shallow, he goes and searches for the deep!

You want to know what the secret of becoming strong is, or becoming trusted, or becoming the kind of man that your future wife, your future children, your future nation can depend on?

Here it is!

You become what you seek. If you seek trash, you become trash. If you seek virtue, you become a man of virtue. You seek excellence, and your life will begin to shine, not loudly, but steadily. Like the steel glow of a blade being forged.

That's who you'll be.

The world has a plentiful, seemingly never-ending supply of angry boys. We don't need any more addicted boys.

We don't need any more distracted boys. The world needs men. Whole men. Clear-eyed men.

Men whose souls are anchored to something higher than the algorithms, trying to own them!

Build a life worthy of admiration. Forget about the applause. Fill your mind with words that make you wiser. Fill your days with work, hard work, that makes you stronger. Fill your home with beauty that lifts every soul who walks into it.

Have your home a place where people walk in and go, man, I say so great here. I just love it here. I don't know what it is about your house. I just love it. It's the spirit that's there! Because you built it! You protect it.

Protect your integrity like a watchman on the wall. Don't lie. Don't cheat. Don't steal. And when you fail, and you will, stand back up again.

Because a man who seeks the virtuous, is not a man who never fails. He just -- he just becomes a man who refuses to stay on the ground.

If you seek things that are lovely and pure, trustworthy, praiseworthy, you'll become a kind of man this age almost never produces. A man whose very existence is a rebuke to the darkness.

That's your calling. That's why you were born.

Not to be lost. Not to play video games. Not to give up. Not to say, there's no hope. Not to end up in the trash bin of human history because you've -- you've taken so many drugs, you can't stand up straight anymore.

You're not destined to be alone.

You were destined for great things. You are destined to find an amazing woman!

Believe me. I didn't think I would ever find an amazing woman. Because I didn't think I was worth it. I didn't think I was worth it.

And until I started understanding how God works. That, yeah. I'm not worth any of the stuff that I have.

When you realize, it's all a gift. It's all a gift. And even if you work your brains out, you may not ever get all the things that you want. But you're going to have everything you need. Once you realize, carefully selecting friends makes a difference. My mother used to always say, show me your friends. I will show you your future.

It's true. Be careful who you select as friends. Watch your language. Watch what you're putting into your brain and what's coming out of your mouth. Because the brain is so amazing. It's being turned to mush. Did you know that there is a new study that just came out. I have to tell you about it next week, maybe.

New study going out. It is -- it's AI. And it has access to social media, and they have found that the AI -- the AI that is scrolling through social media all day, just to keep updated on everything that's going on in social media. It's getting brain mush. It's actually becoming dumber. It's become less effective!

It's a machine. What do you think this, flesh and blood, this thing is going to do?

We say life is meaningless. And life is the only thing that has any value. And yet, we spend all of our time, on things like social media. And that has absolutely no value.

But we think that's life.

I'm not that smart. I've just lived a long time. And I've made so many mistakes.

And I decided at one point, I'm going to stop saying, it's somebody else's fault. I'm going to start saying. Maybe -- what did I do to create that?

What did I do to attract that?

Why does this thing keep happening to me?

Why is it that I always find myself involved with these same kind of people?

Because, Glenn, dummy, it's you!

What you think, it's like -- it's like think of yourself as a -- as a beacon. It's just -- you're a beacon. Your GPS pin, that is constantly saying, here I am. Here I am. Here I am.

Except, it's transmitting more than just your location. It's -- it's transmitting what you're looking for, who you are. And it's attracting other dropped pins to you. It's saying, "I like this. I think this way. I believe these things. I am afraid of these things."

Whatever it is, you're thinking. It's constantly putting that out.

And saying, here I am. Is there anything else like that?

Anything else that can reinforce that? Anything else that can live like this?

Because that's me. Here I am. Here I am. Here I am.

That's why you keep finding yourself in exactly the same situations. Nothing will change, if nothing changes!

And the only thing that you can change, is you!

Seek the things, that have virtue.

Seek the things, that have beauty in music, in -- in art, in life, in architecture, in clothing! Whatever it is. Look for real, lasting beauty and value.

Find the things that are true! Truly true.

Universally true. Find the things that uplift. Seek those things!

And you will change your life and your world!