Facebook shows ads for tactical gear despite announcing a temporary ban
From CNN Business Brian Fung
Less than 24 hours before Joe Biden is set to become president, Facebook continues to show ads for tactical gear despite vowing to ban those promotions ahead of the inauguration.
A review by CNN and other internet users this week showed that ads for body armor, holsters and other equipment were being displayed on the platform as late as Tuesday afternoon.
Often, the advertised products are pictured alongside guns, ammunition, or people clad in camouflage fatigues.
The ads have frequently appeared in the timelines of military veterans and contribute to a false narrative of an imminent violent conflict in the United States, according to Kristofer Goldsmith, founder and president of High Ground Veterans Advocacy.
Twitter confirms Trump has deleted the required tweets to unlock his account
From CNN Business Brian Fung
President Donald Trump has removed the three tweets from his profile that prompted a temporary lock of his account on Wednesday, a Twitter spokesperson told CNN Business. The move clears the way for Trump to regain control of his tweeting privileges as early as Thursday.
The official confirmation comes after Trump appeared to comply Wednesday evening with Twitter’s requirement that he delete the tweets or face a continued lock on his account.
Earlier on Wednesday, Twitter said Trump’s account would be placed in a temporary time out for policy violations, lasting for 12 hours from the moment he deleted the tweets. Twitter also threatened Trump with a permanent ban from the platform for further violations. No sitting president has ever been banned from Twitter.
Facebook removes Trump s video addressing supporters storming Capitol building
From CNN Business Brian Fung
Facebook has now removed President Donald Trump’s video from earlier this afternoon addressing his supporters in the wake of riots at the US Capitol, company spokesman Andy Stone told CNN Business.
In the video, Trump had urged Capitol rioters to “go home” but struck a sympathetic tone and reiterated his debunked claims of election fraud. This is an emergency situation and we are taking appropriate emergency measures, including removing President Trump s video, Guy Rosen, Facebook’s VP of integrity, said in a tweet. We removed it because on balance we believe it contributes to rather than diminishes the risk of ongoing violence.