Zero Hedge said that Facebook
Inc. has begun banning users from sharing links to posts published on the
libertarian financial website, known for its bearish bent and
anti-establishment commentary.
Readers of the blog reported
being unable to share links to Zero Hedge articles via the social media
platform, which has previously said it’s making a concerted effort to clamp
down on fake news and harmful content amid mounting criticism. Alerts from
Facebook said such stories "couldn’t be shared, because this link goes
against our Community Standards."
A message to Facebook was not
immediately returned. On its website, Zero Hedge’s pseudonymous author ‘Tyler
Durden’ wrote that the blog was "surprised by this action as neither prior
to this seemingly arbitrary act of censorship, nor since, were we contacted by
Facebook with an explanation of what ‘community standard’ had been violated or
what particular filter or article had triggered the blanket rejection of all
Zero Hedge content."
Since being founded in the depths
of the financial crisis, Zero Hedge has built a dedicated following by serving
up a mix of hardcore financial analysis and populist political commentary. Both
the ‘Tyler Durden’ name and the site’s tagline -- "On a long enough
timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero” -- are borrowed from the
anarchic cult classic ’Fight Club.’
