Democratic secretaries of state from several states have written a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, asking the company to stop allowing ads that claim the 2020 presidential election was stolen. They believe that allowing such ads will further erode trust in elections and potentially fuel threats of political violence against election workers. The letter was also signed by Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, who does not oversee elections. The secretaries argue that allowing extremists and election deniers to spread misinformation about the election could cause significant harm.
Since the 2020 election, conspiracy theories and false claims of widespread fraud continue to persist, fueled in part by former President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the election results. Despite numerous reviews, recounts, and audits that have all affirmed Democrat Joe Biden’s victory, Trump maintains that he won the election. This has led to a contentious environment where election workers across the country have faced death threats and harassment, with many leaving their jobs due to safety concerns. The situation has resulted in a historic turnover of election workers, posing significant challenges to the electoral process.
Video-sharing platform YouTube announced a policy last year similar to Meta’s, stating that it would stop removing content that falsely claimed previous U.S. presidential elections were tainted by fraud. Meta, however, has defended its approach to protecting elections globally. The company has outlined its 2022 plan for the midterm elections, which includes continuously reviewing content to ensure it does not violate community standards. This includes policies on election and voter interference, hate speech, coordinating harm, publicizing crime, and bullying and harassment. Meta has committed to removing election-related content that includes misinformation about voting processes and calls for violence related to elections.
The group of Democratic secretaries of state is particularly concerned about ads related to the 2020 election that perpetuate false claims of election fraud. These ads have the potential to undermine confidence in the electoral system and discourage voter participation. The letter to Meta was organized by the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, a political action committee affiliated with the Democratic National Committee, and was circulated among Democrats only. The secretaries emphasize the importance of voters knowing the truth about elections and feeling empowered to participate in the democratic process.
The contentious debate over the 2020 election results continues to divide politicians and the public, with ongoing efforts to challenge the legitimacy of the election. Despite overwhelming evidence that Joe Biden won the election fairly, claims of fraud and manipulation persist, creating a climate of distrust and uncertainty. The Democratic secretaries of state are urging Meta to take action to prevent the spread of misinformation that could further undermine trust in elections. They believe that addressing the issue of false election ads is essential to protecting the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that voters have faith in the outcomes of future elections.
