Zuckerberg seeks forgiveness for division caused by his work

Facebook Inc. founder and Chief Executive, Mark Zuckerberg, asked for forgiveness for ways his work was used to divide people in a Facebook posting marking the end of Yom Kippur, the Jewish holiday of atonement on Saturday, September 30th.

“For the ways my work was used to divide people rather than bring us together, I ask forgiveness and I will work to do better,” Zuckerberg said in the post.

He didn’t refer to specific issues in the message, which comes as Facebook and other technology companies are under increased scrutiny amid a U.S. investigation into potential Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign.

Facebook said on Sept. 6 it had found that an operation likely based in Russia spent $100,000 on thousands of U.S. ads promoting divisive social and political messages in a two-year-period through May.

Facebook, the dominant social media network, said 3,000 ads and 470 “inauthentic” accounts and pages spread polarizing views on topics including immigration, race and gay rights.

Facebook has launched an overhaul of how it handles paid political advertisements, after U.S. lawmakers threatened to regulate the world’s largest social network over secretive ads that run during election campaigns.

The award was set up in honour of presenter Komla Dumor who died in January 2014, and aims to continue Komla’s legacy by celebrating African journalism and finding exceptional talent. The judging panel included Rachael Akidi, editor of the BBC's Focus on Africa radio programme; Paul Royall, editor of the BBC’s Six and Ten o'clock news in the UK; and Khadija Patel, editor-in-chief of South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper.

Amina said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue the work of the previous winners of the Komla Dumor Award, Nancy Kacungira and Didi Akinyelure.”

On her part, Francesca Unsworth, Director of BBC World Service Group and Deputy Director of News and Current Affairs, said, “To find someone who possesses many of Komla’s qualities is something for us to celebrate, and we are very excited about working with Amina.”