John— after we emailed you on Thursday, Ben Domenech, the publisher of the Federalist, took to Twitter to accuse us of trying to censor his blog.
But insisting Facebook listen to medical experts — not anti-abortion extremists — isn’t ‘censorship.’ It’s demanding accountability from one of the largest news sources in the world.
Demand that Facebook put a stop to medical disinformation and prevent the spread of blatant lies on its platform >>
John—
On Tuesday, the Federalist — a blog that frequently promotes misogynistic and white supremacist views — posted an article on Facebook peddling the false claim that abortion is never medically necessary.
Hear me when I say this: this is a vicious deception that has been disproven time and time again.1
It has absolutely no place in our discourse.
But right now, Facebook is not just letting the Federalist and the anti-choice lobby get away with their assault on truth, they’re encouraging it by refusing to do so much as a simple fact-check.
Well, we’re not backing down that easily. Add your name to demand that Facebook take immediate action to fact-check medical disinformation and prevent the spread of blatant fabrications on its platform.
It’s no coincidence that the Federalist spewed this disinformation on Election Day, when the entire Virginia legislature was up for re-election. Beyond stoking fear, their goal was to mislead and confuse voters to prevent pro-choice candidates from winning the majority in the General Assembly.
Anti-choice extremists know that they can’t win with the truth — so they’re relying on Facebook’s complacency to peddle their ridiculous claims. If we let them get away with this now, there’s no telling what kind of deceptive propaganda will run rampant in 2020.
As a social media site, and primary news provider for many, Facebook has an ethical responsibility to fact-check these posts and prevent harmful medical disinformation from spreading on its platform. I am livid at the thought that, with its silence, Facebook is enabling an assault on truth.
The last time Facebook correctly fact-checked anti-choice disinformation, it then caved to public outcry from extremists and reversed course. We know we outnumber those who would strip away our reproductive freedom — but now we have to prove it.
That is why I'm not just going to get mad — I'm going to fight back. And I need you with me. Take a minute to make your voice heard now.
Thanks for speaking up today and sticking with us — always.
Ilyse Hogue
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America
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