Facebook backs billionaire Gawker nemesis Peter Thiel
Facebook has confirmed it will retain billionaire Peter Thiel on its board of directors despite criticism of his decision to fund Hulk Hogan’s high profile legal action against Gawker Media for publishing a sex tape of the former wrestler.
Gawker lost the case and was ordered to pay $140m in damages, putting its future in doubt and fuelling speculation that Thiel had sought to use his wealth to silence part of the media – but insists he was merely seeking to challenge Gawker’s ‘bullying’ behaviour.
Thiel and Gawker have history with the two first coming to blows in 2007 when Gawker published an article headed ‘Peter Thiel is totally gay people’.
Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said: “Peter did what he did on his own, not as a Facebook board member.
"We have very independent board members with very independent thoughts that they share publicly. Those strong people make really good board members because they have strong views and they're not afraid to think differently than other people, which has served Facebook well.”
Facebook has faced questions as to whether its relationship with Thiel is sustainable going forward given its desire to become a publisher itself by convincing content providers to post exclusive videos and articles with Facebook selling adverts on their behalf.
Gawker is currently appealing the ruling against it.