John, October seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?

In the Trumpocalypse, there's so much real news, and distractions
masquerading as real news, that it's exhausting to keep up and nearly
impossible to remember three weeks ago, much less three months ago!

Guess what? Facebook is counting on it.

In October, once again the Trump reelection campaign put out an TV ad
filled with lies, only this time something different happened. CNN
rejected it saying in part "the ad makes assertions that have been proven
demonstrably false by various news outlets, including CNN." Amazingly, NBC
quickly followed their lead.

Then, under incredible public pressure to do the same, even Twitter
announced it would no longer accept any political campaign advertising.

Not Facebook. The Trump campaign is still paying Facebook millions of
dollars to promote its lies.

[ [link removed] ]Public pressure worked on NBC and Twitter, now it’s time to turn up the
heat on Facebook. Add your name to our petition demanding Facebook stop
airing Trump’s false ads right now >>

[ [link removed] ]ADD YOUR NAME

As Elizabeth Warren pointed out, it's likely not a coincidence that less
than a week after Trump had a private meeting with Facebook CEO Mark
Zuckerberg, the Trump campaign spent $1.6 million on Facebook ads over
just 7 days, September 25th to October 1st.

Facebook doesn't let Pepsi lie in advertisements.

Facebook wouldn't sell ad space to Geico if they wanted to pitch insurance
fraud.

Interestingly, Facebook doesn't even allow swearing in ads even though
cuss words are generally not considered illegal like lying in advertising
is.

I know, I know, you might be thinking right now, but Charlie, advertising
is free speech. Facebook can't tell anyone what they can and can’t say in
their ads. That would be censorship.

Except that's wrong. Facebook is not the government and not only can it
ban lies, fraud, and misinformation in advertising, it already does.
Facebook policy already "prohibits ads that include claims debunked by
third-party fact checkers or, in certain circumstances, claims debunked by
organizations with particular expertise" for all non-political campaign
advertising on the platform.

[ [link removed] ]It's time for Facebook to join CNN, NBC, and Twitter in banning lying
and fraud in political campaign ads. Turn up the pressure by adding your
name now >>

Btw, you know how I mentioned swearing above?

Guess what... Facebook has rejected a Trump campaign ad for using "bitch"
as a curse word referring to Joe Biden. The Trump campaign edited the text
to remove the word and resubmitted it and, of course, Facebook approved it
even though it also contained lies about Biden's involvement in Ukraine.

Evidently swear words are more offensive to Facebook than fraud, lies and
misinformation. Oh, that and, the millions of dollars the Trump campaign
spends on ads week after week. That might have something to do with it
too.

[ [link removed] ]Enough is enough. It's time to hold Facebook accountable and demand
they ban false ads.

Thank you for taking action today.

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Chair
Democracy for America



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