Facebook responds in the NY Times to co-founder's call for its break-up – deadline

Facebook has responded to a conversation from one of its co-founders of the social media giants' break-up.

Nick Clegg, Facebook's VP of Global Affair and Communications, wrote in the New York Times that "big in itself is not bad" and said such a great success "should not be punished."

Clegg responded to a May 9, upgrading from Chris Hughes, who inherited the Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, then again in 2007. Hughes said elected officials should do something about the growing monopoly, noting that Facebook's influence grew too vigorously and called it "Outspoken and non-American ". He also said the company was not responsible, especially with regard to privacy and election interference.

In the answer, Clegg admitted that Facebook needs to be kept to account, but should not be broken up by these fears. "Anyone who is worried about the challenges we face in an online world should look to getting the rules on the internet, not dismantling successful US companies," Clegg wrote.

A possible break-up of Facebook would not eliminate concerns about privacy or choice, Clegg claimed. "Fixing these issues requires significant resources – and strong new rules." He added that Hughes did not understand anti-trust laws and said it was "dangerous implications" for the US technology sector to call Facebook's break-up.

Far from being Facebook facing challenges from YouTube, Snapchat, Twitter, Pinterest and TikTok, Clegg wrote.

"In messages, we are not even the leader in the three largest markets – China, Japan and, according to our estimate, the US – where we compete with Apple's iMessage, WeChat, Line and Microsoft's Skype," he continued.