A reported old hidden statement by Meta Platforms Inc.’s META chief product officer, Chris Cox, regarding the company’s successful name change from Facebook, has created a buzz in the tech industry.
What Happened: During a company-wide Q&A in November, Cox responded to an employee’s query about the success of the name change, saying that Meta’s decision to rebrand from Facebook had proven highly successful in shifting media attention away from the widely covered “Facebook Papers” revelations, reported Business Insider.
The timing of the name change, which occurred about three weeks after whistleblower Frances Haugen’s disclosures were made public, had sparked speculation about its potential connection to the “Facebook Papers” scandal.
However, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, had previously dismissed any association, labeling it “ridiculous.”
Nevertheless, Cox’s now-revealed statement reportedly appears to corroborate the notion that the name change was a strategic move to shift media focus away from the negative press surrounding the scandal and toward the company’s redefined identity as a metaverse-first entity.
Why It’s Important: Last month, Elon Musk announced the decision to rebrand Twitter as ‘X’ and replace the iconic bird logo with an ‘X’ mark. The move sparked a mixed response. According to Musk, the decision was not merely a superficial makeover but a strategic step toward realizing his vision for the platform.
Nevertheless, given the history of Meta’s name change, it is easy to wonder if Musk also wanted to wash the negative press the microblogging site had attracted since he acquired the platform for $44 billion last year.
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