“ It ’s important that Facebook is a place where masses with dissimilar views can share their ideas , ” wrote Mark Zuckerberg following the violent “ Unite the Right ” rally in Charlottesville . “ But when someone tries to silence others or attacks them based on who they are or what they consider , that hurts us all and is impossible . ” That pinnace sentiment , however , apparently did n’t halt the technical school giant from using an anti - Muslim ad as a guinea pig for its new video data formatting during the final weeks of last year ’s election .
According to a new report card from Bloomberg , Facebook offered its expertise to the rightwing advocacy grouping Secure America Now to help heighten the reach of its “ anti - refugee ” effort in swinging states . One of these efforts allegedly admit quiz out its then - new erect video formatting . Working with Harris Media , a digital public affairs firm , Facebook reportedly design a case study for different data formatting using an anti - Islam video titled “ Are We Safe ? ”
The ad juxtapose the face of a young fille with thoroughgoing black - and - white photos of Muslims who have carried out scourge attacks in America . While the video ’s description on YouTube touts the importance of strengthen our weakened “ national security , ” two of the four attacker shown are American - born . Accordingto its site , Secure America Now was form to resist the Ground Zero Mosque .
Facebook rolled out the ad in 12 unlike version , according to Bloomberg , and then surveyed its user who had meet it to find out which of the XII data formatting was favored the most .
cite internal ad agency reports and five beginning require with the campaign , the Bloomberg composition says the test was part of larger competition between Facebook and Google for several millions advertizing dollar bill from Secure America Now , which ran “ a mix of anti - Hillary Clinton and anti - Islam messages ” aim golf stroke - state voters during the final day of the election . Between the two platforms , the ads were reportedly regard millions of times .
Facebook has said thatit does n’t want to influence voters , but that straightaway contradicts its own selling effort . A page by Facebookdetailing Senator Patrick Toomey ’s ad campaignon the site , for illustration , is titled “ The good content to influence elector . ” We have reached out to Facebook , Harris Media , and Secure America Now for comment and will update this post if and when we get word back .
Facebook has been focalize on convincing the world that it isworking firmly to prevent extraneous election interferenceafter it was discovered thatthousands of Russian - buy adsappeared on the political program . But the company seemingly has no problem serve caller at base spread bigoted , mislead messages on the site to influence voters . Especially if it will help them figure out their hot fresh TV format .
[ Bloomberg ]
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