BREAKING: As Facebook Extends Trump’s Suspension, UltraViolet Says Facebook & Twitter Must Take Responsibility By Permanently Deplatforming Trump, Banning Disinformation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, January, 7, 2021
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
BREAKING: As Facebook Extends Trump’s Suspension, UltraViolet Says Facebook & Twitter Must Take Responsibility By Permanently Deplatforming Trump, Banning Disinformation
Women’s group joins coalition in calling for Trump’s expulsion from Facebook & Twitter after platforms temporarily suspend his account
WASHINGTON, DC — Moments ago, Facebook announced that it would extend Donald Trump’s suspension from the platform for ‘at least two weeks’, after yesterday, when social media platforms Facebook and Twitter temporarily suspended Trump’s accounts after an invasion of the United States Capitol building by a white-supremacist mob of pro-Trump supporters.
In response, Bridget Todd, communications director of the national women’s advocacy organization UltraViolet, released the following statement:
“For years, Facebook and Twitter have served as the primary vehicle for Donald Trump to spread dangerous lies, attack women with misogynistic rhetoric, stoke racial tensions, undermine a public health crisis and encourage insurrection. Yesterday’s barbaric insurgence at the Capitol is the result of Facebook and Twitter enabling and profiting from Trump’s behavior.
“But suspending Trump’s accounts for 12 hours, or even indefinitely, misses the moment – it’s a slap on the wrist compared to the indescribable magnitude of what transpired yesterday afternoon, and has been building since before Trump’s election. Trump must be deplatformed.
“Make no mistake – Facebook and Twitter have blood on their hands. These companies have empowered Donald Trump and his supporters, both in Congress and online with white supremacist and misogynistic groups like QAnon and the Proud Boys, since before his inauguration. Allowing Trump and his supporters to continuously incite violence without consequence is not free speech; it’s reckless, spineless and immoral.
“We demand that these social media giants completely deplatform Trump, his Republican enablers, and public officials who call for white supremacist violence, stoke tensions, and foment insurrection by adopting policies banning hate speech and disinformation. Anything less is unacceptable.”
In 2020, UltraViolet Action organized the first ever Women’s Disinformation Defense Project, a war room of progressive organizations focused explicitly on preventing the spread of racist and sexist disinformation targeting women candidates and voters. Designed to defend Vice President Kamala Harris and other women and women of color running for office. This work included:
Platform accountability – focused on holding platforms like Facebook and Twitter accountable for the spread of racist and sexist disinformation, as well as the promotion of right-wing violence and QAnon conspiracy theories.
Media accountability campaigns focused on de-platforming those that perpetuated racist and sexist disinformation, including the publication of a comprehensive media guide on how the media can cover women politicians and people of color in politics.
UltraViolet has also targeted Facebook specifically, demanding that the platform ban sexual harassment, violence and hate speech by:
Sending an open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, COO Sheryl Sandberg, and Director of External Affairs Lindsay Elin demanding an emergency action to do something about the escalating threats of violence against election workers.
Taking out TV ads in the Bay Area demanding that Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg “lean in” and stop the spread of misogyny and violence.
Demanding accountability after white supremaicst Trump supporters planned to attack and abduct Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer.
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