| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2018 |
CONTACT: Mallory Quigley [email protected] | 703-380-6674 |
Facebook Stifles Pro-life Free Speech Days Before Midterm Elections
Washington, D.C. – The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) today condemned Facebook’s censorship of the group’s paid ad campaigns. SBA List’s “Charlotte” and “Micah” videos tell the story of children born prematurely who were given lifesaving care. Both babies were born at gestational ages when abortion is permissible.
“Facebook must immediately stop its shameful censorship of the pro-life movement,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony List. “Charlotte Ryun and Micah Pickering survived their premature births. That’s factual. It’s also factual that pro-abortion politicians across this country support painful late-term abortions, even after 20 weeks, more than halfway through pregnancy. Facebook is censoring the truth and political free speech. It is a direct contradiction of Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s public pledge that she would not censor pro-life free speech, even if she disagreed with it. The clock is ticking to Election Day, and Facebook is stifling our ability to get our message out about politicians who support brutal late-term abortions.”
Timeline of Facebook’s censorship:
- 10/9 – SBA List begins running 30-second Micah ad on Facebook
- 10/10 – SBA List begins running 30-second Charlotte ad on Facebook
- 10/12 – Facebook disapproves the Charlotte ad (stops ad campaign from running)
- 10/12 – SBA List appeals Facebook decision – they approve and reinstate the ad later that day
- 10/24 – Facebook disapproves Micah ad, SBA List appeals decision
- 10/25 – Facebook reinstates Micah ad
- 10/25 – Facebook disapproves Charlotte ad a second time
- 10/25 – SBA List appeals again
Susan B. Anthony List and its partner super PAC, Women Speak Out spent more than $18 million in the 2016 election cycle, knocking on more than 1.1 million doors in battleground states to defeat Hillary Clinton and maintain a pro-life Senate. SBA List is dedicated to pursuing policies and electing candidates who will reduce and ultimately end abortion. To that end, SBA List emphasizes the education, promotion, mobilization, and election of pro-life women. SBA List is a network of more than 700,000 pro-life Americans nationwide.
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