• Mark Lemley, a prominent Stanford lawyer, has severed ties with Meta, citing ethical concerns.
• Lemley represented Meta in a high-profile AI copyright case involving authors such as Sarah Silverman.
• The lawyer disagrees with recent policy shifts at Meta, particularly regarding content moderation.
• He expressed concerns over a culture characterized by "toxic masculinity and Neo-Nazi madness."
• This decision follows Zuckerberg's controversial comments about corporate culture and masculinity.

In a dramatic move, Stanford law professor and lawyer Mark Lemley has officially fired Meta as a client in light of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's recent policy changes, which he criticized for fostering a culture of toxic masculinity and alleged support for extremist ideologies. Lemley's decision comes amidst ongoing legal proceedings where he was representing Meta against claims from authors including Sarah Silverman, who allege copyright violations connected to the training of Meta’s AI model, Llama. Despite his belief in Meta’s position in the legal battle, Lemley stated he could not continue as their counsel due to moral reservations regarding the company's recent direction.

In a LinkedIn post, Lemley remarked, “I have fired Meta as a client. While I think they are on the right side in the generative AI copyright dispute…I cannot in good conscience serve as their lawyer any longer.” This decision follows Zuckerberg's controversial remarks on an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, where he argued that corporate culture has strayed too far from “masculine energy.” Lemley took specific issue with these comments, along with Meta's new guidelines allowing for the promotion of posts based on gender or sexual orientation.

Lemley, a partner at Lex Lumina, had previously worked on the copyright case since 2023, and his withdrawal represents a significant blow to Meta's legal team, which will now proceed without his expertise. He also indicated a shift in how he will interact with Meta's platforms, announcing he has deactivated his Threads account and will cease supporting ads on Facebook and Instagram. “I thought about quitting Facebook completely,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of connections he has made on the platform.

Meta's recent policy changes align with a broader strategy reflecting Zuckerberg’s evolving stance on content moderation and corporate responsibility, which have raised eyebrows among critics. As Affirmed by reports, Meta has eliminated third-party fact-checking and scaled back diversity and inclusion programs, mirroring similar strategies employed by other tech figures like Elon Musk. Zuckerberg's previous criticisms of controversial figures, including President Trump, have seemingly been set aside as he engages with right-leaning politics.[Business Insider]

This high-profile decision underscores the increasing tension between ethical considerations and business affiliations in the tech industry, as lawyers and professionals navigate their connections within controversial companies.