In an unexpected twist, following President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration, Instagram and Facebook users began noticing their accounts automatically following official profiles of the new administration, including Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump. For many, this raised alarms about their control over their social media accounts and Meta’s evolving relationship with political power.
‘I Didn’t Sign Up for This’: The Backlash
According to Yahoo News, social media lit up with frustrated users who claimed their accounts were now following President Trump, Vice President Vance, and First Lady Melania without their consent. The sentiment was clear: users were uneasy, especially as trust in social media platforms continues to be scrutinized.
Meta’s Explanation: Procedural or Problematic?
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, quickly responded, attributing the issue to standard procedure. According to the company, users who had previously followed the @POTUS (President of the United States), @vp (Vice President), or @FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States) accounts under the Biden administration were automatically transitioned to follow the same accounts now representing the Trump administration.
“This is how it’s always worked,” a Meta spokesperson explained via the AP News, emphasizing that the transition of these government accounts ensures continuity for followers.
But confusion remains.
Zuckerberg’s Moves: A New Alignment With Trump?
The controversy comes amid significant shifts at Meta under CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership. Observers have noted a growing alignment between Zuckerberg and the Trump administration, pointing to recent decisions that seem to signal a new era for the tech giant.
Before the inauguration, Meta announced it was discontinuing its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These programs, long championed as a cornerstone of corporate responsibility, were suddenly deemed nonessential. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, this decision has raised concerns about whether it reflects Trump’s vocal criticism of “woke” corporate policies.
In a separate AFROTECH™ report, Meta also announced the end of its fact-checking system, a move that many view as opening the door to unchecked misinformation. Given Trump’s contentious relationship with fact-checkers during his previous term, the timing of this decision feels especially significant. The removal of fact-checking tools and the dissolution of DEI programs have led some to question whether these moves are part of a broader strategy to align Meta’s platform with the priorities of the Trump administration.
What This Means for Meta’s Users
These developments feel like a seismic shift for Meta’s users, particularly its diverse and politically engaged communities. Whether intentional or procedural, the automatic follow-up has sparked deeper concerns about transparency, control, and the platform’s alignment with certain political ideologies.
“This isn’t just about a follow button,” one user told Yahoo News. “It’s about whose voices are amplified and whose are silenced. That’s what makes this so unsettling.”
What Can You Do?
If users see that they are following accounts, they should double-check their following lists and manually unfollow any accounts they don’t wish to follow. Adjusting account settings can also help manage future recommendations and follows. But for many, these recommendations feel like too little, too late.
The controversy surrounding Meta’s automatic follows, and recent decisions signal a broader cultural and political shift for one of the world’s most powerful tech companies. For Black professionals and communities that rely on these platforms for connection, advocacy, and business, the stakes couldn’t be any higher.
As Meta moves forward under Zuckerberg’s leadership, the questions remain: Is the platform becoming a megaphone for political agendas? And where does that leave the diverse audiences that helped build its empire?
