Facebook rejects Biden's request to remove false Trump attack ad

[HeartlandProgressive]

Facebook has rejected a request by Joe Biden's presidential campaign to pull down or demote a Donald Trump ad it says contains misinformation. The campaign asked the company to take action against an ad which suggests that "Biden promised Ukraine $1 billion dollars if they fired the prosecutor investigating his son's company." In a letter to Biden's camp obtained by The New York Times, Facebook declined to do so.

The campaign said the claim in the ad "has been demonstrated to be completely false." Politifact and Factcheck.org, organizations that Facebook works with for fact checking, debunked the 30-second ad soon after President Trump's camp distributed it.

In a recent update to its advertising policy on misinformation, Facebook wrote that it "prohibits ads that include claims debunked by third-party fact checkers or, in certain circumstances, claims debunked by organizations with particular expertise."

However, in the letter, Facebook's public policy director for global elections Katie Harbath underscored the company's policy to take a hands-off approach to posts from politicians. "Our approach is grounded in Facebook's fundamental belief in free expression, respect for the democratic process, and the belief that, in mature democracies with a free press, political speech is already arguably the most scrutinized speech there is," Harbath wrote. "Thus, when a politician speaks or makes an ad, we do not send it to third-party fact checkers."

If a politician shares "a viral hoax -- like a link to an article or video that has previously been debunked, we will demote that content, display related information from fact checkers, and reject its inclusion in advertisements," Harbath noted. "That is different from a politician's own claim or statement — even if the substance of that claim has been debunked elsewhere. If the claim is made directly by a politician on their Page, in an ad or on their website, it is considered direct speech and ineligible for our third-party fact-checking program."

The Biden campaign said Facebook's response was "unacceptable." A spokesman said in a statement to CNN that the dissemination of "objectively false information to influence public opinion poisons the public discourse and chips away at our democracy."

https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/09/facebook-biden-trump-ad-misinformation-political-ad/

Facebook just declared open season on all Democrats.

[cwydro]

1. "Respect for the democratic process" my ass.

This is so horrible.

[Squinch]

2. And still people use Facebook.

"But how will I ever keep in touch with anyone without Facebook! I CAN'T live without it!"

[pnwmom]

5. I think I'm better off there sending off dozens of CORRECT posts about Trump

than abandoning it to the Trump lies.

[2naSalit]

7. No Shit!

I have lived over sixty something years and never found a need for FB. I won't click on any links to that cesspool either. I also demand that anyone I know who uses it to never post my image or name on that platform or I will sue them.

[blueinredohio]

13. I told my daughter she could be on Facebook if she thinks she has to but

don't post anything about me or my business. Her husband told her the same thing.

[Thekaspervote]

3. Time to end your FB account!! There are tons of other social media programs one can use

To keep up with friends and family

[Blaukraut]

4. Maybe the Dem campaigns should share "viral hoax" Trump stories in their own ads

Stories like paying off hookers, getting pissed on in Russian hotel rooms, partaking in Epstein's hobbies, stuff like that.

[pnwmom]

6. Why? The truth about Trump is damning enough. We should all be spreading it everywhere.

It isn't a hoax, for example, that Trump was sued by a "Katie Johnson" right before the election, and that she AND A WITNESS claimed that Trump raped her at Epstein's house when she was 13.

There are LOTS of good sources on this.

[Blaukraut]

8. That was sort of what I meant. Enough salacious and attention grabbing stories to be had

And only called hoaxes by Trump and his minions. The Dem candidates need to beat Trump at his own game, except they don't need to lie to do it.

[Iwasthere]

10. Those stories aren't hoaxes

And they are out there. The 13 year old girl that was tied and raped by dump45 has had little affect So horrible that people don't believe it. Many of my Democratic friends and family say " you're getting weird shit from your weird sites again huh Patrick." Even Though paperwork is out there. Even snopes doesn't dispute it.

[Cha]

14. Impotentump scandals are real.

[bigbrother05]

9. So Biden should place ads saying 'Mark Z is a c***sucking toad that eats Trump's boogers'

It's political, so they'd have to accept it. Would lead in with the FB letter highlighted on the important parts, then the statement over a obviously photoshopped, particularly disgusting picture.

Fair & Balanced, amiright?

[BeyondGeography]

11. It's time for all of our candidates to take the gloves off re Facebook

Actually, make that the entire Democratic Party.

[Mike Nelson]

12. Why is Facebook...

... being singled out, again? The ad is all over... Twitter, YouTube, and everywhere. Why is Facebook always the target for these stories?

[Joe941]

22. Because of the role they played in the 2016 election with Russia.

[Mike Nelson]

23. Okay...

... I wasn't clear about the reason... my Facebook group of ResistTrump-ers keeps me sane. I don't know how a company checks political ads for lies. There must be so many of them... and when does Crooked Donald ever talk without lying? He lies constantly!

[budkin]

15. Google "Katie Harbath" and you'll instantly understand why

Just look at her twitter...

Link to tweet

[flamingdem]

16. Facebook Full of Shit

[treestar]

17. So they think the "democratic process" and "free expression"

includes false accusations?

[Blue_true]

18. Anyone that cares about truth should cancel their Facebook account now.

There are alternatives.

[NCLefty]

19. They sure have a lot of P.R. (lies) on their site about this issue these days:

We know people want to see accurate information on Facebook – and so do we.

False news is harmful to our community, it makes the world less informed, and it erodes trust. It's not a new phenomenon, and all of us — tech companies, media companies, newsrooms, teachers — have a responsibility to do our part in addressing it.

https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/blog/working-to-stop-misinformation-and-false-news

Too bad it's all lip service. I couldn't even get them to remove the New Zealand shooter's hate manifesto that is, as far as I know, still posted in an account's photo section. That account has over 20,000 followers.

Zuckerberg seems powerless or uninterested in fixing his monster.

[Celerity]

20. fuck Facebook, and all this Ukraine disinfo and conspiracy theory about Biden is taking a toll

He needs to come up with a better way to combat the lies.


https://www.investors.com/politics/elizabeth-warren-overtakes-joe-biden-democratic-presidential-nomination-race/


Joe Biden Caught In Ukraine Crossfire

Joe Biden's election prospects appeared to take a hit from allegations hurled by Trump that are at the center of the House Democrats' impeachment probe. A loose transcript of a July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed a whistleblower's claim that Trump asked him to investigate Biden and son Hunter's dealings in the country in 2016.

The October IBD/TIPP Poll found 57%-37% support for a Justice Department investigation of Biden and his son regarding their actions in Ukraine and China.

By comparison, Americans supported the House impeachment inquiry, 55%-44%. Half of Americans said Trump's Ukraine actions are an impeachable offense, vs. 46% who say they are not. Still, Trump's job approval rating rose 4 points to 43%, even as his biggest political scandal erupted.




Biden (still, atm, by far our best shot, IMHO, to boot Rump out) truly needs to get a grip on this new fake-scandal-driven dynamic trend, it is hurting him, very unfairly, and is starting to put our chances for 2020 in more jeopardy than they have any right to be.

[Joe941]

21. Remember Facebook allowed Russia to turn the 2016 election...

Simply to make money.