Some of the campaign officials from Biden’s camp have criticized and scrutinized how Facebook handled the 2020 elections—implying that the incoming administration will not go easy on the tech giant. Facebook has come under plenty of government scrutiny in the past years.
The tech giant is currently facing antitrust investigations from a few federal and state bodies. The Federal Trade Commission is anticipated to sue Facebook for its violations on antitrust before November ends, according to Politico’s report last week. Facebook first testified in Congress in 2018 regarding the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, was invited to clear out his company’s actions and behavior to government officials several times. He testified in front of the House Antitrust Subcommittee, FTC, and Senate Commerce Committee in 2020 alone.
President-elect Biden and his officials have said that they are paying close attention to the tech giant.
Biden officials have already complained against Facebook even before the elections. Their campaign sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg accusing and denouncing the company of backsliding and relapsing on its work to help protect democracy in the United States.
Particularly, Biden’s campaign disapproved of and criticized Facebook’s stand not to act on and prohibit a video posted about Trump’s campaign. The Facebook page in question featured Donald Trump Jr. saying without any evidence that his father’s opponents planned to “add millions of fraudulent ballots that can cancel your vote and overturn the election.”
“No company that considers itself a force for good in democracy, and that purports to take voter suppression seriously, would allow this dangerous claptrap to be spread to millions of people. Removing this video should have been the easiest of easy calls under your policies, yet it remains up today.”
Excerpt from the letter to Facebook by Jen O’Malley Dillon, Biden’s campaign manager
Megan Clasen, a senior paid media advisor for the Biden campaign, also criticized Facebook’s phrasing and choice of words regarding Biden winning the elections.
“ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News, Decision Desk HQ, AP, Reuter’s, New York Times, Wallstreet Journal, VOX, The Guardian, Washington Post, BBC, USA Today, NPR, Politico Business Insider: Biden won the presidency.”
Megan Clasen
While Bill Russo, Biden campaign deputy communications director, went on a 10-tweet rampage condemning how Facebook handles misinformation. Rob Flaherty, Biden campaign digital director, also posted a few tweets criticizing the tech giant’s political ads policies.
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