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by We Hold These Truths | 7.15.20

This article has been authored by We Hold These Truths, a First Amendment oriented human rights campaign from the McCain Institute. Learn more about the new audit of Facebook's record, and click above to take action and make your voice heard.

What is it?

A recent independent audit of Facebook’s civil rights record showed that its company strategy to prioritize free speech was unsustainable and failed to address issues of hatred, bigotry, and manipulation on its Facebook and Instagram platforms.
This has been accompanied by the largest boycott on Facebook’s ads in history as over 1000 companies stopped paid advertising. Facebook’s leadership held a series of video conferences earlier this week with the boycotts organizers but both parties walked away seemingly dissatisfied.

Why is it important?

The new report describes Facebook’s current approach to civil rights as “reactive and piecemeal” and claims that the algorithm actually increases polarization and extreme content, particularly around hate speech and bigotry.
As the 2020 election looms, auditors urge Facebook to address these issues as they could have a long-lasting negative effect on U.S. democracy. Last month, Facebook, Twitter, and Google testified to Congress that they are continuing to deal with foreign election meddlers who are using their platforms to sow distrust and widen societal cleavages.
The boycott has caught Facebook’s attention because of its impact on its revenue stream. This demonstrates the effectiveness of collective action to spur actionable change.

What can you do?

Check out more from the boycott organizers and Facebook’s response.
Check out some tips to make sure your privacy is protected on Facebook.

Originally published by We Hold These Truths

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