Be Careful of Facebook and Twitter Ads
@DeborahDiane (40144)
Laguna Woods, California
October 18, 2019 5:21pm CST
With the election season heating up in the United States, Mark Zuckerberg was asked if his company would fact check ads before allowing them to be posted. He said he would NOT do that, because of Freedom of Speech. It does not bother him if his ads contain lies and distortions of the truth.
I was always taught that Freedom of Speech does not extend to liable, slander and misleading advertising, but apparently Zuckerberg did not learn that. I'm afraid this is going to result in a repeat of the Trump/Clinton election, during which we were flooded with fake news stories.
As a result, I wrote the following statement and put it on Facebook, along with a shorter version for my Twitter account, and posted them. I think people need to be more aware that they may be seeing fake ads and news stories nearly continually on these sites ... and the site administrators don't care! Feel free to post copies of this or your own version of these statements, if you want to help spread the word and protect people you know from falling for fake ads and "news" stories.
This is what I wrote:
"Just a little warning to my friends, especially with politics getting heated up again. Please DO NOT believe ANY #facebookads because Mark Zuckerberg has said they will NOT fact check them.
Avoid using #Facebook ads, buying them, purchasing products from them, choosing candidates based on them, or supporting them in any way. Be suspicious of any stories you read about people or products, too. A lot of them have simply been made up by creative writers who are trying to manipulate your opinions and emotions.
It is scary, but these stories, memes, and advertisements can literally be fake, contain altered photos, and be full of lies, and will not be pulled off Facebook, per Mark Zuckerberg."
16 people like this
11 responses
@LadyDuck (462827)
• Switzerland
20 Oct 19
@DeborahDiane People need to get back with their feet on the ground and check everything they read on social media. First step is NEVER share if you have not double checked.
3 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Oct 19
@LadyDuck - I like what you said. Everyone should, at the very least, promise not to share anything if they have not double-checked that it is true. We all need to be a little more grounded and realistic. Some of these stories are just ridiculous!
3 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Oct 19
@LadyDuck - You are so right. Social Media platforms are terrible places to get reliable news, but far too many people believe what they read on them. People need to take a stand and force these sites to live up to some kind of minimal standard.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (48641)
• Mojave, California
18 Oct 19
Crazy How Facebook became evil. I knew Mark was always a jerk, but he seems to have gotten worse through the years. He all about the money now and could careless where the money comes from. These corporate people care nothing about a country. Just take me where I can make most money. What a sad life outlook and a way to be. Mark Cannot be a happy man even with more money than anyone can spend in a 100 lifetimes.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (48641)
• Mojave, California
20 Oct 19
@DeborahDiane I think whole world is a bit BS right now, You should hear some of these surveys I take. I am like wow, do these people even know how an Ideal economy is suppose to work. I try to tell them look at Norway, closest example of an ideal economy but then that pisses them off and next thing you know Bernie Sanders is getting smashed by the media. Keep this corrupt capitalistic system alive because we rich as hell and get to control the lessers.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Oct 19
@crossbones27 - You are sooo right! Our economy is not working for the average person. That is true not only in our country, but in other parts of the world, too, where ordinary people are rioting over rising prices and low wages. The rich are going to have to loosen up on their money a bit, or these economies will collapse and everyone will lose a whole lot of money.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Oct 19
@crossbones27 - I agree with everything you just said. It is all about money for them, and they do not care where the money comes from. People need to take a stand and insist that Facebook fall under the jurisdiction of the FCC and have to maintain certain minimal standards. For example, a vitamin company will be fined by the FCC if they claim their multi-vitamin will cure cancer. However, a presidential candidate can tell lies about their own record or the record of their opponent, and that is OK if they do it on Facebook? That is outrageous, and we need to force them to change.
1 person likes this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
18 Oct 19
I believe that social media is rife with fake news and false information not only about elections but in things in general.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Oct 19
@Alexandoy - I agree, but it is time Americans insisted on a higher standard. We have fallen so far.
1 person likes this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
19 Oct 19
@DeborahDiane it seems that everywhere social media is being used for lies.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Oct 19
@Alexandoy - Yes, I think it is a problem around the world.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (119129)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Nov 19
Just another reason I hate Facebook, and spend as little time there as I can.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (119129)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Nov 19
@DeborahDiane I have pretty much given up on Facebook. I only go on there just long enough to clear out my notifications. When I am on there, it is for work purposes (I manage our city's social media pages). But on my personal page, it is very rare that I ever post anything, or even scroll through my feed. I try to avoid FB as much as I can.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (119129)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Nov 19
@DeborahDiane Yes, there seems to be a huge mistrust of the site by the people these days. I think if they will eventually reach their demise, it's going to happen slowly over a period of years, because as much as people complain about how much they hate Facebook, I still see them glued to the site every day.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
18 Nov 19
@moffittjc - I love the photos of my friends and their grandkids, but Facebook is becoming worse and worse, and I try to avoid everything I don't like to see.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Oct 19
@JudyEv - Thanks! I think we cannot be too careful but, with a major election coming up, I believe that people on both sides of the political spectrum should be able to make their decisions based on facts, not blatant lies.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64360)
• United Kingdom
24 Oct 19
@DeborahDiane Surely he can't dodge all responsibility on a site that he owns??
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
24 Oct 19
@jaboUK - Apparently, Zuckerberg believes he can dodge all responsibility, as crazy as that seems. Since we Americans do not seem to be holding him accountable, I hope the Europeans will do a better job. Somehow, he needs to change his attitude. I don't know what it will take.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
20 Oct 19
jest gets more ridiculous daily, don't 't? if'n not fer fb bein' the only way i get pics 'f my grands, i'd not e'en be with 'em. too many folks're more'n happy to 'share' those lies 'n half-truths, then argue with ya when ya point out such's fake. i blocked all politics durin' the last election, yet some still come through...
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Oct 19
@crazyhorseladycx - I also block most of the "news" sites on Facebook but, like you, some of those idiotic stories still seem to get through ... usually shared by friends of mine who should know better than to believe the rot they see on these sites. I figure that the best I can do is remind people that mostly they are seeing a lot of lies and exaggerations. I try to stick to family photos, too!
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
21 Oct 19
@DeborahDiane sadly those folks seem to think they're helpin' to educate the masses'n 'll argue their last breath yer the one'n err, lol. yup, stick with family photos'n blow off the rest!
one 'f my many pet peeves with that site.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Oct 19
@crazyhorseladycx - Yes, it is my pet peeve with that site, too. I only express my political views in private groups on Facebook. I even do that less and less these days. Mostly, I am only interested in the photos of my family and friends. I have learned that other people are not likely to change my political opinions with their ridiculous stories, and I am not likely to change their opinion, either. As long as this country continues to have two widely different, extreme forms of mass media ... with Fox News on the Right and CNN on the Left ... we are likely to remain a divided country.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38725)
• Midland, Michigan
19 Nov 19
Thanks for the idea, I might go ahead and use yours once I get other things done from being away almost two weeks.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38725)
• Midland, Michigan
20 Nov 19
@DeborahDiane my kids tried to keep up with my bills but my passwords were harder to find than they expected even when they know my hiding spot.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Nov 19
@MarshaMusselman - Yes, it can be hard to take over for someone else. We all have our own little ways of doing things and our own hiding places. I can understand why it was hard for your kids. We're lucky to have children who are willing to try to help, though, aren't we?
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Nov 19
@MarshaMusselman - It takes a while to get everything caught up when we are gone for a while!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247204)
• United States
24 Oct 19
Wonderful post. I hope the people who need to be made aware read it.
I’m not on Twitter, and barely am I on Facebook. It’s only gotten worse and more invasive over the years. I certainly don’t go there for the news and definitely not the shopping.
Well done!
Hope everything is going well at home.
Hope everything is going well at home.1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
25 Oct 19
@DianneN - I agree! There is nearly always a bright side to things and we do better when we try to focus on the things which are good in our life.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
24 Oct 19
@DianneN - Thank you! Yes, things are going fine here with my husband, as long as we lead a calm, peaceful life. He tires out very easily and has to walk with a cane. Otherwise, though, there are no particular symptoms we have to deal with. The upside is that we now have a handicapped placard for our car, which allows us to park close to things. It sure makes things easier! When we go to our grandson's high school football games, we get to park right next to the ticket window! 
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Oct 19
@just4him - Thank you! People forget so quickly what has happened in the past, and they are far to quick to believe everything they read or see online. I have seen some ridiculous stories which were passed on by my friends. How can they believe all that poppycock?
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40144)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Oct 19
@just4him - Good for you! We all need to be as careful as possible before we pass on crazy stories.
1 person likes this
@just4him (310867)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
20 Oct 19
@DeborahDiane I've learned to check it out before I swallow anything whole.
1 person likes this
