|
Dear John,
You may recall the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2016, when “psychographic profiles” of over 30 million Facebook users were surreptitiously culled and sold to the campaigns of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.
CrowdTangle was the analytical tool that brought the scandal to light, tracking how Cambridge Analytica had harvested the Friends lists of some 270,000 Facebook users who unknowingly used an app called “This Is Your Digital Life.” Without a tool like CrowdTangle to track and analyze the movement of data across the platform, this scandal likely would never have been exposed.
In the aftermath of the scandal, Facebook stepped up by contracting with CrowdTangle to do further data analytics, monitoring and flagging the manipulation and distribution of sensitive, provocative, dangerous, and untrue information.
Now, however, avoiding accountability as the 2024 election heats up, Meta/Facebook have announced they will not be renewing CrowdTangle beyond August 14. With this announcement, Facebook is dropping its responsibility to manage the proliferation of erroneous and harmful information on the site.
This means Facebook is giving up even trying to limit the spread of hate and baseless outrage, just twelve weeks before the next presidential election. As the GOP and the Republican National Committee have doubled down on their commitment to Trump’s Big Lie that he won in 2020, we need platforms like CrowdTangle more than ever.
Sign the petition and demand that Facebook/Meta continue using CrowdTangle to fight against the misuse of data and spread of misinformation now.
Facebook’s disreputable history of using algorithms to direct traffic toward sites filled with inflammatory hate speech and lies has been one of the biggest factors leading to the radicalization of the far right, culminating in the January 6 insurrection. Who knows what coordinated violence may result from Facebook radicalization in the upcoming election and its aftermath?
Studies have shown that extremist lies spread much faster on social media than the truth. Falsehoods often reach millions long before the truth comes out, if it ever does. So instead of approaching the polls with accurate information, millions of voters could make their decisions based on distortions and false ideas.
In this volatile media environment, the independent analysis and verification of information -- and getting it out to the public -- is essential. Meta/Facebook needs CrowdTangle to maintain a shred of accountability.
Click here to tell Meta/Facebook: Maintain your credibility. Renew your contract with CrowdTangle!
Thank you for demanding Facebook’s corporate responsibility.
Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action
|
