A member of San Francisco’s board of supervisors called to remove Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s name from the city’s general hospital because the social media platform doesn't do enough to combat hate speech.
"Massive advertising boycott of Facebook for failing to regulate hate speech & disinformation," Matt Haney, a Democrat who represents the city's sixth district, tweeted. "Huge staff walkouts & protests.... Much of it seems directly tied to Mark Zuckerberg. Why is his name still on our SF public general hospital?"
Massive advertising boycott of Facebook for failing to regulate hate speech & disinformation
Huge staff walk outs & protests. Cozy relationship w Trump, $ to Republicans.
Much of it seems directly tied to Mark Zuckerberg
Why is his name still on our SF public general hospital?
— Matt Haney (@MattHaneySF) June 28, 2020
Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, made a $75 million donation to the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation in 2015. It was the largest monetary donation the hospital has ever received and was used in part to purchase new equipment for the acute care and trauma center.
Haney, who was elected in 2018, tweeted in a thread that while Zuckerberg's gift was generous, keeping the donor's last name on the side of the hospital is "a lot less awesome."
"We should be grateful and encourage such donations—on the other hand, requiring your name to be forever emblazoned on hospital, a lot less awesome," Haney said. "Zuck isn't a doctor. Health care is a right. We don't sell it off, doesn't reflect our values as it relates to health or medical profession, to put someone's name on a hospital [because] they gave $."
Activists across the country have called on cities and universities to remove statues and rename buildings named after controversial historical figures. Princeton University recently voted to remove Woodrow Wilson's name from its School of Public and International Affairs and residence college after the school decided the honor should not be given to the pro-segregation president.