News
MapLight research on the influence of money and politics.
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June 03, 2021
In a victory for the integrity of our democracy, President Biden rescinded an unconstitutional executive order issued by former President Trump last month which aimed to punish social media and technology companies for fact checking online posts from Trump designed to mislead voters about mail-in voting.
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May 27, 2021
Just after National Coming Out Day, Facebook ran several video advertisements supporting transgender and non-binary users. Lee spoke about how meaningful it is to feel they are exactly who they want to be; Kite wished for a more inclusive world. “We’re all better off when we understand each other more,” the videos proclaimed. Facebook, which … Continue reading "As Bills Sweep Statehouses, Facebook Profits From Harmful Anti-Trans Ads "
The Social Media DATA Act Marks and Important Step to Improve Transparency and Protect Our Democracy
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May 20, 2021
Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass) introduced the Social Media DATA Act, a bill to increase transparency about online advertising by requiring large social media platforms to maintain ad libraries and direct the Federal Trade Commission to set up a stakeholder group tasked with identifying best practices for sharing social media data with researchers.
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For our democracy to heal and ultimately thrive, it’s essential that we fully understand all of the facts and circumstances that led to the armed insurrection at the Capitol Building.
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May 18, 2021
Getting access to the massive trove of Facebook data requires navigating a labyrinth of contract minutiae, legal reviews, technical restrictions, and privacy agreements with the social media giant.
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May 10, 2021
Opponents of legislation that would overhaul much of the framework of the modern American political process are fighting the measure with every tool at their disposal: Campaign contributions, dark money organizations, political action committee (PAC) expenditures, broadcast radio and television campaigns, and – of course – digital disinformation. The bill, H.R. 1 (also known as … Continue reading "To Fight the For the People Act, Opponents Resort to Online Disinformation"
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May 07, 2021
Following an announcement from the Facebook Oversight Board to uphold a suspension of former president Donald Trump’s account while also directing Facebook to revisit the decision for a final determination, Policy Director at Decode Democracy Ann M. Ravel issued the following statement: “The decision from the Facebook Oversight Board marks a short-term step to limit … Continue reading "The Facebook Oversight Board Ruling Makes Clear: It’s Time to Permanently Ban Donald Trump"