Facebook rebranding to Meta 'terrifying': Parler CEO
Zuckerberg unveils new name, computer-generated social space
Parler CEO George Farmer reacts to Facebook changing its name to Meta.
Parler CEO George Farmer reacted to Facebook rebranding to Meta, calling its unveiling "satirical" and "terrifying" on "Mornings with Maria" Friday.
"Facebook rebrands itself into a transhumanist metaverse. I mean, it's just terrifying," Farmer told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo. "You know, this is the stuff of nightmares, really."
The tech giant is taking on the new name as it transitions into the "metaverse," looking to create a virtual social space where users can interact in a computer-generated environment.
Farmer said he finds this direction to be "odd," and believes people want to see Big Tech do the opposite.
FACEBOOK ANNOUNCES IT'S GOING BY A NEW NAME IN SHOCKING REBRAND MOVE
"They do not want it to be a bigger part of their life. They do not want it to be more integrated," he argued. "They actually want more freedom, more privacy, more constraints of the tech giants from entering your life, rather than less."
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen (L) leaves the Houses of Parliament in central London on October 25, 2021 after giving evidence to members of the UK parliament on the Joint Committee on the draft Online Safety Bill. - Facebook whistleblower Fra … (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)
The rebrand comes as Facebook has faced a growing PR firestorm, including scathing testimony to U.S. and U.K. lawmakers from former product manager-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen and a series of reports from The Wall Street Journal and a media consortium of 17 U.S. news outlets, including FOX Business, dubbed The Facebook Files and Facebook Papers, respectively. Zuckerberg has pushed back on Haugen and the reports, most recently during the company's latest earnings call Monday.
"Facebook is desperately trying to scramble to reallocate resources and time and effort into some new company pitch," Farmer said.
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Parler CEO George Farmer reacts to Zuckerberg’s unveiling of ‘Meta’ and former President Trump’s new social media platform called Truth Social.
The CEO also noted he welcomes competition and innovation into the social space, including former President Donald Trump’s new platform, Truth Social.
"I think President Trump is carving his own path," he said. "I think competition makes the marketplace a healthy place for consumer choice."
FOX Business’ Lucas Manfredi contributed to this report.