Facebook is meddling in the Georgia runoffs and is censoring Republican ads aimed at voters, according to a post of The Senate Majority last Saturday, Jan. 2.
"Big Tech is at it again. Facebook has shut down the ad account for the Georgia Battleground Fund, a joint fundraising committee for NRSC, @Perduesenate, and @kloeffler," tweeted The Senate Majority, which is the Twitter account of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
"This is unacceptable with only 4 days to Election Day," The Senate Majority added in the same tweet, "Go to http://GABattleground.com to help us fight back."
The tweet also included a screenshot of the warnings and errors received by the Georgia Battleground Fund, which was "Ad Account Disabled For Policy Violation" that was explained as "We don't allow ads that promote products, services, schemes, or offers using deceptive or misleading practices, including those meant to mislead or scam people out of money or personal information (ex. products that boost Facebook or Instagram likes, etc.). Please read through our Policy for more details including a few examples of do's and dont's."
Big Tech is at it again.
Facebook has shut down the ad account for the Georgia Battleground Fund, a joint fundraising committee for NRSC, @Perduesenate, and @kloeffler.
This is unacceptable with only 4 days to Election Day.
Go to https://t.co/E3Y3IDuuxn to help us fight back. pic.twitter.com/katrpxRaPV
"” The Senate Majority (@NRSC) January 1, 2021
GABattleGround.Com is actually the Georgia Battleground Fund Website of Republican senatorial candidates David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
Breitbart reported that the incident is actualy the second done by Facebook since it previously censored ads pointing to posts from Democrat candidate Raphael Warnock that praises Jeremiah Wright, who is known as a radical hate-preacher.
The censorship, Breitbart said, coincided on the same day the National Defense Authorization Act was passed even though it did not incorporate the amendments to Section 230 requested by President Donald Trump in it.
Section 230 is a law under the Communications Decency Act that gives tech companies immunity from lawsuits related to censoring user content and to defamatory content posted by users, as well as "to smear you as a racist" or "to censor you if you object too strenuously," Breitbart added.
In addition, this law allows big tech companies, such as Facebook, Wikipedia and Twitter, minor legal liabilities for meddling in elections, Breitbart emphasized in its report.
President Donald Trump actually expressed his disappointment on Twitter immediately after Section 230 was not repealed.
"Our Republican Senate just missed the opportunity to get rid of Section 230, which gives unlimited power to Big Tech companies. Pathetic!!! Now they want to give people ravaged by the China Virus $600, rather than the $2000 which they so desperately need. Not fair, or smart!" Trump said.
Our Republican Senate just missed the opportunity to get rid of Section 230, which gives unlimited power to Big Tech companies. Pathetic!!! Now they want to give people ravaged by the China Virus $600, rather than the $2000 which they so desperately need. Not fair, or smart! "” Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2021
Loeffler followed suit in support of Trump tweeting, "Big Tech is ALL IN for the radical left. It's shameful and it must end. REPEAL SECTION 230!"
According to Breitbart, Loeffler has actually introduced a bill to reform Section 230 and, together with Perdue, "did not vote to override Trump's veto of the NDAA" eventhough other Republican legislators did.
On the other hand, the Daily Caller reported that Facebook has already restored the Georgia Battleground Fund ad account after it was "shut down in error".
"An automated error caused this ad account to be disabled. The account has since been restored," a Facebook spokesperson told the Daily Caller.
"New issue, electoral or political ads can't be published in the US from October 27 through November 3, but existing ads can still run, with limitations," the Facebook spokesperson explained. "All issue, electoral, or political ads in the US will temporarily stop running starting November 4."
