Facebook on New Year’s Day temporarily shut down a Republican fundraising page for Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff elections.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) tweeted about the alleged censorship, which took place just four days before the election.
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
— Senate Republicans (@NRSC) January 1, 2021
The NRSC tweeted, “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 http://GABattleground.com to help us fight back.”
The ad is being run by the Georgia Battleground Fund. The fund, available here, benefits incumbent U.S. Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue (both R-GA). The fund, a national effort to raise money for the candidates, launched in all 50 states on Nov. 20.
Democrat Raphael Warnock is running against Loeffler, while Democrat Jon Ossoff is running against Perdue.
The NRSC tweet showed a screenshot of its Facebook account in which the social media giant claimed the ad account was suspended for “policy violation” for “unacceptable business practices.”
“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.”
A Facebook spokesperson announced the action was a mistake, The Epoch Times reported.
“An automated error caused this ad account to be disabled,” the spokesperson said. “The account has since been restored.”
Facebook had previously instituted a ban on political ads, The Daily Caller reported.
“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. “All issue, electoral, or political ads in the US will temporarily stop running starting November 4.”
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Sen. Kelly Loeffler” by Kelly Loeffler and “Sen. David Perdue” by David Perdue.
