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OK, so abt Facebook allowing people to opt-out of "social issue, electoral or political ads from candidates or political action committees" - a few thoughts abt how this is a terrible idea.
For one, making a major change like this 149 days before nationwide elections is nuts 1/
For one, making a major change like this 149 days before nationwide elections is nuts 1/
Just like Twitter outright banning political ads, this will further favor incumbents, penalize newcomers & challengers - the sort of political actors who benefit from the ability to reach voters at low price points via FB
wrote abt this @guardian 2/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/04/twitters-political-ads-ban
wrote abt this @guardian 2/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/04/twitters-political-ads-ban
Also, recent public opinion data suggests that people have a disproportionately negative view of political ads & microtargeting. According to @GallupNews @knightfdn data, 20% of Americans think platforms shld be restricted from showing ANY political ads 3/ https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/286490/oppose-micro-targeting-online-political-ads.aspx
The same data show that 72 percent of Americans oppose the use of ANY individual data for microtargeting by political campaigns. 4/
(see more from me & @dannagal in @washingtonpost @madebyhistory ) https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/14/mass-propaganda-used-be-difficult-facebook-made-it-easy/
(see more from me & @dannagal in @washingtonpost @madebyhistory ) https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/14/mass-propaganda-used-be-difficult-facebook-made-it-easy/
Though the public debate & press (and funding) abt digital ads focuses on hyped-up fears of nefarious persuasion, many more digital ads are used as an important organizational tool for campaigns. Challenger campaigns use low-cost digital ads to build lists of supporters... 5/
... solicit donations, and mobilize volunteers. Digital ads also allow political newcomers to introduce themselves – a tactic that often only breaks through with paid promotion.
On top of this, there is reason to suspect opting out will exacerbate existing inequalities ... 6/
On top of this, there is reason to suspect opting out will exacerbate existing inequalities ... 6/
You're politically interested but skeptical on the role of platforms & campaigns? Confident in your ability to find out info on your own? Maybe you're more likely to opt out.
Not politically interested? More of a "news comes to me" person? 7/
Not politically interested? More of a "news comes to me" person? 7/
Maybe you're not as likely to opt out - or even know you can. And this is just the type of person most likely to be vulnerable to the worst-case scenario of political ads filled with election misinformation (voting methods, polling places).
In short, this is a bad idea. 8/
In short, this is a bad idea. 8/
But sure, let's test it all out in the midst of an election, in the middle of a global health pandemic, amidst great social upheaval. 9/9
