Staff Reports
A recent study by the Media Research Center found alarming information about Facebook and its involvement in U.S. elections. Since 2008, Facebook has interfered with important elections 39 times. This means they have gotten in the way of fair voting and information reaching the American people. The study shows that this interference started to really get bad in 2012 during the election between Mitt Romney and Barrack Obama. Facebook even blocked a veteran-led group for sharing a post about the Benghazi attack. This shows that Facebook has a history of silencing conservative voices and stories they don’t like.
In the following elections, Facebook’s interference only grew. In 2016, they censored Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders and topics considered “conservative news.” It was also revealed that Facebook had humans picking out the news shown in the “trending” section, leading to bias and censorship based on personal opinions.
I can't wait to see this guy pay his dues! https://t.co/yofoRRWuZK
— Dr.Frankenstein (@DrF8162) April 24, 2024
Facebook’s censorship continued in 2018 when they censored ads from candidates like Marsha Blackburn and Matt Rosendale, both Republicans. Even then-President Donald Trump faced censorship on the platform, showing a clear pattern of targeting conservative voices and viewpoints. The situation worsened in 2020 when Facebook censored Trump multiple times and took down ads from the political right. This is very concerning as it undermines free speech and fair political competition.
Looking forward to the 2024 election, Facebook is already restricting political content on its platforms like Instagram. This move limits the reach of political content and makes it harder for users to find diverse political opinions. It’s important for all voices to be heard in a democracy, and Facebook’s actions are hindering that.
This study highlights the need for transparency and fairness on social media platforms like Facebook. Conservatives have been disproportionately targeted and censored, raising serious questions about the platform’s integrity. It’s crucial for social media companies to uphold free speech and provide a level playing field for all political viewpoints.
