November, 20 2018, 11:00pm EDT
MoveOn Sends Letter to Facebook Leaders in Response to Definers News, Other Concerns
Today, MoveOn executive directors Anna Galland and Ilya Sheyman sent the following letter to Facebook leaders Mark Zuckerberg and Cheryl Sandberg in response to the recent news on Facebook's hiring of Definers Public Affairs and the company's Civil Rights Audit and advertising standards.
Full letter:
November 21, 2018
Cheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg
Facebook
1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Dear Ms. Sandberg and Mr. Zuckerberg,
WASHINGTON
Today, MoveOn executive directors Anna Galland and Ilya Sheyman sent the following letter to Facebook leaders Mark Zuckerberg and Cheryl Sandberg in response to the recent news on Facebook's hiring of Definers Public Affairs and the company's Civil Rights Audit and advertising standards.
Full letter:
November 21, 2018
Cheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg
Facebook
1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Dear Ms. Sandberg and Mr. Zuckerberg,
As leaders of one of the largest political advertisers on Facebook this year, we write to express concern about several of Facebook's practices.
We were surprised to learn last week that Facebook corporate leadership had hired a right-wing firm specializing in what the New York Times calls the "dark arts" of politics to promulgate antisemitic, anti-Black, and other attacks on public interest organizations that have been critical of Facebook. As the Times reported, this firm, Definers Public Affairs, has pushed racist and antisemitic conspiracy theories in malicious efforts to discredit Color of Change, the Open Society Foundation, and other organizations committed to civil rights and a just society. This is unacceptable and requires accountability.
We also are concerned about Facebook's ongoing Civil Rights Audit, in which MoveOn has participated. Your audit process lacks anonymity, lacks a commitment to transparency, and includes questions that appear aimed more at helping Facebook defend itself against pressure than improve its processes. We urge you to commit to real change resulting from the audit, including a game plan for operationalizing findings that includes internal resources focused on evaluation and enforcement in an ongoing way.
Finally, as a result of our experience as one of the largest political advertisers on Facebook in 2018 (MoveOn Political Action and our subsidiary MO Research together spent $5.5 million on Facebook ads from May to present), we have identified potential inconsistencies in the application of your advertising standards, including potential differences along lines of race and identity, that warrant investigation.
Of course, these particular concerns exist within a broader context of concern about the threats that Facebook and other social networks and their algorithms and data pose to society and democracy. We have seen in our work the potential that Facebook and other social networks have to be a force for good, but by this point the potential for harm is also clear. How you as Facebook's leaders respond is vitally important.
We request an urgent meeting to discuss these issues with you in person. Thank you for your prompt attention.
Ilya Sheyman
Executive Director
MoveOn Political Action
Anna Galland
Executive Director
MoveOn Civic Action
CC
Speaker Paul D. Ryan
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer
See a full PDF of the letter here: https://front.moveon.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FacebookLetter.pdf
MoveOn is where millions mobilize for a better society--one where everyone can thrive. Whether it's supporting a candidate, passing legislation, or changing our culture, MoveOn members are committed to an inclusive and progressive future. We envision a world marked by equality, sustainability, justice, and love. And we mobilize together to achieve it.
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