Meta Blocks RFK Jr. Mini-Documentary, Pro-RFK Super PAC Announces Plans to Sue
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy accused Meta of censoring him after a mini-documentary he posted was “mistakenly” blocked on Facebook and Instagram from Friday afternoon to midday Saturday.
The Details: The 30-minute video serves as a campaign ad about Kennedy’s life and political career and is narrated by renowned actor Woody Harrelson. Many users reported being unable to view or share the video as it purportedly violated Meta’s “Community Guidelines.” American Values 2024, a super PAC founded in 2022 that supports Kennedy, said it plans to sue Meta later this week.
For Context: Since being posted on May 4, the video has been viewed over 34 million times on X. In February, the Democratic National Committee filed a legal complaint against Kennedy and AV2024 for allegedly transferring $15 million from the PAC to Kennedy’s campaign in efforts to get Kennedy on ballots in key states. Last week, former President Donald Trump levied a series of insults against Kennedy that prompted Kennedy to challenge Trump to a debate.
Key Quotes: Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the link was incorrectly flagged as spam: “It was mistakenly blocked, and it was corrected within a few hours.”
How The Media Covered It: The New York Times (Lean Left bias) opened its coverage by calling censorship “a cornerstone of (Kennedy’s) independent presidential campaign” and this instance “more fodder for his argument.” Forbes (Center bias) noted that the video on YouTube has a warning that redirects viewers to the Centers for Disease Control’s COVID-19 vaccine page.
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R.F.K. Jr. Claims Censorship After Facebook and Instagram Briefly Block New Ad
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made censorship — specifically, claims that the government, news media and tech platforms have tried to stifle his message — a cornerstone of his independent presidential campaign.
This weekend, Mr. Kennedy got more fodder for his argument when Facebook and Instagram blocked a link to a new, sleekly produced 30-minute ad supporting his candidacy. The link appeared to have been blocked from Friday late afternoon until Saturday around midday.
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RFK Super PAC Planning Lawsuit Against Meta Over Blocked Ad—Which Meta Says Was ‘Quickly Restored’
American Values 2024, a super PAC supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential bid, will file a lawsuit against Meta after a 30-minute campaign ad was taken down on Facebook and Instagram over the weekend—a move Meta said was a “mistake.”
AV2024 says the video was shared thousands of times and viewed over 12 million times on X, formerly known as Twitter, but its reach on Instagram and Facebook has been “minimal,” which they said could be a sign of “shadow banning.”
According to the super PAC, Meta users who tried...
From the Right
RFK Jr. running mate Nicole Shanahan rips ‘cowardly’ Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly censoring documentary about him
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential running mate Nicole Shanahan hit out at “cowardly” Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly censoring a new documentary about the independent candidate.
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Zuckerberg is CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Shanahan’s post made reference to his ongoing training in mixed martial arts.
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