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Facebook censored pro-Biden advert

by on01 September 2020


Video of Trump threatening to end Obamacare was apparently “inflamatory”

Facebook has admitted that it was wrong after blocking a pro-Biden ad submitted by Democratic political action committee Priorities USA, after initially telling the group the video violated its policy against “sensational” content.

A company spokesman cited an “enforcement error” and said Facebook was approving the ad, which showed clips of President Donald Trump threatening to end Obama Care and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden saying “c’mon man” in response.

Normally the category this applies to on Facebook is graphic depictions of torture, dehumanizing speech and pimple popping. Apparently, video reports of Trump wanting to end Obama Care was the same thing.

Facebook has drawn heat for its hands-off approach to political speech, particularly its policy of exempting politicians’ posts from fact-checking.

It does maintain more stringent rules for outside groups like PACs, and earlier this month banned a Republican PAC from advertising after it repeatedly shared content that was deemed false by external fact-checkers.

Facebook also draws some lines for politicians, barring content that, for example, incites violence. In June, it removed Trump re-election campaign posts showing a red inverted triangle, a symbol used by the Nazis, for violating its policy against organised hate.

 

Last modified on 01 September 2020
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