On Friday, Facebook prevented the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List from running ads in swing states slamming Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, for their extreme pro-abortion stances. Facebook cited a fact-check from The Dispatch, Steve Hayes’ outlet, but The Dispatch later withdrew the fact-check and issued an apology. As of Friday afternoon, Facebook has kept up the “partly false information” flag despite The Dispatch’s apology….
“Big Tech and the media are teaming up to run interference for the Biden-Harris campaign on what is a losing issue for Democrats – their shameful support for abortion on demand through birth,” SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement. “This is the latest example of Facebook censoring political speech and is perfectly timed to shut down SBA List’s vital digital communications as we work to reach eight million voters in key battlegrounds in the final days before Election Day.”
Facebook prevented Women Speak Out PAC from using money to boost ads in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Facebook claimed that ads “must not include claims debunked by third-party fact checkers or, in certain circumstances, claims debunked by organizations with particular expertise. Advertisers that repeatedly post misinformation may have permanent restrictions placed on their ability to advertise on Facebook.”
“Our ad makes the same factual argument Vice President Pence made about the Biden-Harris record in support of late-term abortions during the vice presidential debate, an argument Kamala Harris didn’t bother refuting herself,” the SBA List president explained. “Our argument is also backed by the Democratic Party platform, which flatly calls for no limits on abortion.”
Dannenfelser noted that Facebook shut down similar pro-life ads from SBA List in 2018, but the company later apologized. “Now they have outsourced their censorship to the anti-Trump press, continually waging a suppression campaign specifically targeting pro-life conservative voices. We refuse to be silenced.”
Steve Hayes, founder of The Dispatch, published an apology, claiming that he incorrectly published the fact-check….
Even so, Facebook has yet to remove its “Partly False Information” flag as of press time. When users click the “See Why” button, Facebook directs them to a blank page because The Dispatch has revoked its fact-check.
The above comes from an Oct. 16 story on PJ Media.
If Facebook were a small company, its censorship would be within its rights. However, when a behemoth company like Facebook engages in censorship, especially when acting in tandem with other behemoth companies like Google and Twitter, this censorship becomes dangerous to democracy.
In short, these companies need to be either regulated or broken-up for the sake of the Republic. Lawsuits need to happen.
Ageed, Steve. Big government and behemoth monopolizing companies are both enemies of the people.
How ironic, it was the left that bemoaned the practice of censorship a few short years ago. Today censorship is the left’s major weapon of attack.
The United States, together with six other nations, just co-sponsored the pro-life Geneva Consensus Declaration, signed by 32 nations. It states that there is no right to abortion, and calls for a number of things– protection for the unborn child, strengthening of the family, and better health for women, etc. Perhaps California Catholic Daily will print a news story about this, soon! Hope we can all work together, to make America a truly pro-life nation! Get rid of the Death Culture, get rid of Planned Parenthood, etc.– and reform Biden/Harris and the Democrats! And reform Silicon Valley! Many people, including myself and my family– don’t participate in Facebook and social media. Waste of time! Better to be “social” naturally, daily, with plenty of real-life, authentic socializing, with everyone!