The results are in and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are preparing to take office in January. So why are our social media feeds filled with disinformation attempting to sow doubt about the electoral process and discredit the results?

In the aftermath of the election, digital and social media companies like Facebook and Twitter have permitted widespread election lies to take over their websites to the point where baseless claims about voting irregularities have become among the most shared content. These lies erode faith in our democracy and create a false and reckless idea that the election results are somehow in dispute. We need Congress to implement lasting reforms, but in the meantime we cannot permit rampant disinformation to continue.

Click here to demand Facebook and Twitter end the spread of dangerous election disinformation immediately.

Social media companies have reacted to rising scrutiny about their business models and role in spreading disinformation by limiting online political ads and placing warning labels near content with false and damaging information about election results. But the measures they implemented were inconsistent, belated, and accompanied by unforeseen consequences. Facebook announced it would extend a political ads ban for another month in an attempt to limit paid misinformation during the presidential transition, but that decision also damages grassroots organizations and less-moneyed campaigns that depend on the platforms to mobilize their target audience. In the meantime, bad actors are left unchecked to promote disinformation that’s organically promoted and encouraged by Facebook's algorithm.

Join us to demand Facebook and Twitter remove lies about the 2020 election and get a handle on their disinformation crises. Our democracy hangs in the balance.

Sincerely,
Dan

Daniel G. Newman
MapLight President & Co-Founder