BuzzFeed CEO: Big Tech Companies Having ‘Huge Problem’ Controlling Content

BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti claimed Big Tech companies are having a “huge problem” controlling content on their platforms, and declared, “We can’t just police bad content, we have to produce good content,” during a speech at SXSW, Friday.

According to the Austin Chronicle, Peretti acknowledged that media outlets like BuzzFeed “have had to reduce costs and staff,” but reportedly claimed the situation was improving.

Peretti also claimed that “Tech platforms are having a huge problem with the content on their platforms,” explaining, “They don’t make the content and are having trouble controlling the content.”

“We’ve never been more connected, but we’ve never felt more divided,” declared Peretti, claiming that the problems with digital media have now spread to tech companies.

“We can’t just police bad content, we have to produce good content,” Peretti expressed. “It’s popular and trendy now to quit social media… But we can’t give up. We have to keep fighting to make a great internet.”

Peretti listed “Anti-vaxxers,” “trolls,” “political extremists,” “flat Earthers,” “racists,” “misogynists,” “scammers,” and “pedophiles,” as some of the major problems on tech platforms.

In January, Peretti faced criticism over BuzzFeed’s handling of company layoffs.

Around 15 percent of BuzzFeed’s workforce were laid off due to financial issues, and employees demanded that they receive earned Paid Time Off (PTO) after it was alleged that only California-based workers would receive PTO.