UPDATE: After the publication of this piece, Facebook a Meta spokesperson responded to MRC Free Speech America's request for comment saying "The link was mistakenly blocked and was quickly restored once the issue was discovered."
Meta has once again deemed Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ideas too dangerous to be allowed on Facebook and Instagram.
Kennedy’s Super PAC American Values 2024 (AV24) announced Sunday that it will file a lawsuit against Facebook and Instagram’s parent company after the platforms suppressed links to Kennedy's newly released documentary, “Who is Bobby Kennedy?”
“Facebook is putting its thumb on the scale this election,” Kennedy posted on X. “Please help me understand how this Woody Harrelson film about my life violates Facebook’s community standards?”
Kennedy uploaded the 30-minute film to Facebook on May 4. But when Facebook users tried to share links to the film’s website, the platform claimed the content violated its “Community Guidelines” and would not allow users to post. Instagram users had a similar experience when trying to post the link in Instagram stories, according to screenshots included in a TikTok video that Kennedy’s team posted on May 5.
The Kennedy Beacon, the substack newsletter of AV24, alleged that Facebook and Instagram labeled the documentary as “spam,” and accused the film of showing “support or praise of terrorism, organized crime or hate groups,” “solicitation of sexual services,” and “sale of firearms or drugs.” AV24 also alleged that Facebook and Instagram have shadowbanned the film, citing low engagement numbers as evidence.
Tony Lyons, the founder of AV24, lambasted Facebook and Instagram for their actions infringing on the rights of the American voter.
“When social media companies censor a presidential candidate, the public can’t learn what that candidate actually believes and what policies they would pursue if elected,” Lyons told The New York Times. “We are left with the propaganda and lies from the most powerful and most corrupt groups and individuals.”
Meta has since claimed that the video being labeled spam was a mistake rather than overt censorship.
“It was mistakenly blocked and corrected within a few hours,” said Meta spokesman Andy Stone told The Times.
Facebook did not respond to MRC Free Speech America's request for comment by publication time.
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