Warren Ads Calling for Facebook Breakup Yanked by Facebook

Citing modified logo, company will restore ads to allow 'robust debate'
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 12, 2019 7:32 AM CDT
Facebook Removed Warren's Ads Calling to Break Up Facebook
2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks to residents Friday in the Queens borough of New York.   (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Facebook may have inadvertently illustrated Elizabeth Warren's point about the consolidation of power by tech giants like itself. The social media company removed numerous ads calling for the breakup of Facebook, Amazon, and Google, published Friday by Warren's presidential campaign. "They've bulldozed competition, used our private information for profit, and tilted the playing field in their favor" resulting in "vast power over our economy and our democracy," read the identical ads, which directed users to sign a petition "to support our plan to break up these big tech companies," per Politico.

"Curious why I think FB has too much power? Let's start with their ability to shut down a debate over whether FB has too much power," tweeted Warren, who tells the Verge she also wants to see the breakup of Apple. Politico reports the ads were found to be "against Facebook's advertising policies," with a rep later claiming improper use of a modified Facebook logo, per CNN. "In the interest of allowing robust debate, we are restoring the ads," the rep said. That drew "thanks" from Warren on Monday. "But I want a social media marketplace that isn't dominated by a single censor," she said. Other Facebook ads about her tech plan, excluding the Facebook logo, were unaffected. (More on the plan here.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X