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1. A Facebook ad from American Crossroads, a GOP Super PAC, falsely attacked Warnock
Facebook found it violated its rules and took it down
Then Facebook allowed American Crossroads to republish it 5 times.
Why?
Facebook won't say
But I kept digging https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
Facebook found it violated its rules and took it down
Then Facebook allowed American Crossroads to republish it 5 times.
Why?
Facebook won't say
But I kept digging https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
2. I obtained internal Facebook communications about the ads
On 12/24, Facebook exec Rod Leathern asked if Facebook should take action against American Crossroads "for attempting to circumvent our ads policies by repeatedly posting the same content?"
https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
On 12/24, Facebook exec Rod Leathern asked if Facebook should take action against American Crossroads "for attempting to circumvent our ads policies by repeatedly posting the same content?"
https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
3. This is a very strange message because Leathern (who left Facebook on 12/30) "led the product team for Business Integrity at Facebook" and was responsible for "enforc[ing] ads and business policies across Facebook."
It means there is no policy. https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
It means there is no policy. https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
4. Instead, Leathern is asking the communications staff. It's an ad hoc decision based on how it will play publicly.
Notably, in this case, Facebook declined to take action, allowing American Crossroads to publish the content again and again. https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
Notably, in this case, Facebook declined to take action, allowing American Crossroads to publish the content again and again. https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
5. Why did Facebook decline to take action against American Crossroads? Again, they won't comment. But we do know that one of their top execs, Joel Kaplan, is a former GOP operative who has repeatedly intervened to protect right-wing groups & publications https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
6. But even if they won't take action against the group itself, couldn't they block American Crossroads from posting the same false ad?
A member of Facebook's integrity unit revealed "even the slightest modification" to an ad stops automatic detection
https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
A member of Facebook's integrity unit revealed "even the slightest modification" to an ad stops automatic detection
https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
7. Facebook is an $800 billion company but its AI for ads is effectively worthless. And it will not backstop it with human moderation before the ads are published.
As a result, hundreds of thousands of Georgians being exposed to false attacks on Warnock https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
As a result, hundreds of thousands of Georgians being exposed to false attacks on Warnock https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
8. In a statement to Popular Information, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) blasted Facebook's handling of the American Crossroads ads. "Facebook is throwing out its own rule book to avoid shutting down Republican lies," Wyden said. https://popular.info/p/facebook-fails-georgia
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A lot more accountability journalism coming in 2021. http://popular.info/subscribe
A lot more accountability journalism coming in 2021. http://popular.info/subscribe
