Communications head of Facebook takes blame for ‘black ops’

ELLIOT SCHRAGE, who is due to leave as head of Facebook’s communications team, has taken responsibility for the hiring of a consulting firm accused of using “black ops” style techniques.

The announcement came after Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, pledged a “thorough” review of its use of Definers to deflect criticism from the social networking giant.

She and Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook chief executive, maintain they were surprised by The New York Times story last week that said the social network was using Definers to link social network critics to George Soros, the US financier. Mr Schrage taking the hit for the controversy was seen by some as convenient, since he has previously said he was leaving Facebook after working there for more than a decade to start a new chapter in his life.

Definers was hired in 2017 as part of an effort to diversify Facebook’s advisers in Washington, in the face of growing pressure by competitors and media companies for the firm to be regulated by the government, Mr Schrage said in a message to co-workers posted online.

But its role grew to include looking into Facebook competitors and research on Soros-funded campaigns. “Responsibility for these decisions rests with leadership of the communications team,” Mr Schrage said. “That’s me.”