Meta denies forcing users to follow Trump administration accounts

Meta has responded to complaints from some users who claim they were forced to follow the social media accounts of the new US administration under President Donald Trump. T

The accounts of Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance are managed by the White House, and with the change in administration, the content on these pages has been updated, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone explained on X on Wednesday.

Stone clarified that users were not automatically made to follow any of the official Facebook or Instagram accounts associated with the new administration. He pointed out that the same process had been followed during the last presidential transition in 2021. He also acknowledged that it might take some time for follow and unfollow requests to process as the accounts change hands.

The complaints come amid ongoing efforts by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to maintain a positive relationship with Trump’s administration. Zuckerberg, who attended Trump’s inauguration ceremony and dined with the new president, has been accused of accommodating the Trump administration’s agenda. He has appointed several of Trump’s allies to key roles and taken steps to roll back programs previously targeted by conservatives, such as shutting down Meta’s fact-checking operations in the US.