Snopes: Facebook Failed To Respond to Dire Emails Ahead of Capitol Riot [View all]

[TwilightZone]

Emails from a Snopes reporter alerting Facebook communications staffers to violent rhetoric on the platform largely went ignored ahead of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot. New reporting links those specific warnings of future violence to acts that were carried out that day.

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A Snopes reporter sent this email to a Facebook spokesperson on Nov. 2:

We have just published a breaking story about QAnon activity that litters the private Alamo City Trump Train Facebook group...The group was used to organize efforts to follow, surround, and “block” (their word) a Biden-Harris bus in Texas last Friday.

(snip)

After hearing nothing in return, a follow-up message was sent to the company the next day. Facebook did not respond.

On Nov. 5, two months before the Capitol riot, we reported in a second story about the same Facebook group after finding disturbing and violent rhetoric. The messages hinted at future violent acts much like the siege on the Capitol.

(snip)

On Nov. 6, we reached out to Facebook for the final time, bolding one part of the email for emphasis:

This Alamo City Trump Train group has members who are discussing driving to battleground states where votes are being counted, and taking matters into their own hands. They also discussed how many members are also members in a San Antonio Trump Train group.

(snip)

Facebook never responded.

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We reached out to Facebook prior to publishing this story, but did not hear back by a specified deadline.

The Alamo City Trump Train Facebook group, with its history of QAnon content, was still online and active. (as of yesterday, 2/12/21)

Much more here:

https://www.snopes.com/news/2021/02/12/facebook-capitol-riot/