Facebook forked over a contribution of more than six-figures to sponsor CPAC this year, signaling the company is making an effort to reach out to the conservative crowd after a tumultuous 2016.
The Daily Beast reported this week Facebook gave CPAC more than $120,000 in combined cash and in-kind services. The conservative conference began Wednesday and runs through Saturday in National Harbor, Md.
Facebook has appeared to clash with conservatives in the past. Last year, during the presidential campaign, for example, Facebook employees were found to be deliberately favoring left-leaning news outlets in its Trending box. The social media network is also worried about how President Donald Trump and his administration could change the rules regarding H-1B visas, which are given to skilled foreign workers — particularly in the tech industry.
According to Politico, the move was designed to charm conservatives after the Trending topics fiasco.
"They definitely need to be building relationships with conservatives," Heritage Foundation vice president of publishing Rob Bluey said.
"There's a sizable number of Trump voters who are using Facebook. I don't think from a business standpoint [Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg] wants to lose those people, because it's going to harm his company."
Politico noted Facebook is also hosting a happy hour at CPAC.
One Facebook employee who spoke during a training session at CPAC said the platform is full of political discussion.
"Facebook is where the political conversation is happening," said Eva Guidarini, a politics and government outreach associate at Facebook, according to The Street.
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