Ireland – Facebook ‘took matters into own hands’ over pro-life ads

Facebook ‘took matters into own hands’ over pro-life ads
Social media site opted to ban foreign influences in referendum on eighth amendment after Irish officials failed to offer legal guidance, claims chief Mark Zuckerberg

Brian Mahon
July 14 2019
The Sunday Times

Mark Zuckerberg, the chairman and chief executive of Facebook, has revealed his company consulted Irish officials about whether to allow pro-life ads from America on the social media platform during last year’s abortion referendum.

Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado in June, Zuckerberg said that in response to his request for guidance, his company was told to take whatever decision it saw fit.

Continued: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/facebook-took-matters-into-own-hands-over-pro-life-ads-jbct26vnk

14.07.2019

Featured

News

Facebook abortion ads

Facebook and abortion referendum

foreign donations for referendum campaign

Liz Carolan

Mark Zuckerberg

SIPO

Standards in Public Office Commission

Transparent Referendum Initiative

Europe

Ireland

Activism

Ireland – Facebook admits publishing foreign ads before abortion vote

Facebook admits publishing foreign ads before abortion vote

Aaron Rogan, Senior Ireland Reporter
November 28 2018

Facebook has admitted that it took large sums of money from foreign groups that sought to influence Irish voters on the abortion referendum.

The company’s handling of political ads during the campaign before the vote in May was raised yesterday at a meeting in the House of Commons, attended by politicians from several countries including Ireland.

Continued: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/facebook-admits-publishing-foreign-ads-before-abortion-vote-mgjgxtn0l

28.11.2018

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News

abortion referendum

Facebook abortion ads

Facebook and abortion referendum

herry Perreault

Hildegarde Naughton

Lord Allan of Hallam

Oireachtas communications committee

Facebook to publish data on Irish abortion referendum ads

Facebook to publish data on Irish abortion referendum ads
Social media company to provide details of spending on ads targeting Irish voters

Emma Graham-Harrison
Fri 20 Jul 2018

Facebook is to publish comprehensive data on political advertising during Ireland’s abortion referendum campaign, giving an unprecedented insight into targeting of voters on social media, and setting a powerful precedent for election transparency.

The US company has told Irish politicians it will provide anonymised details of the amount spent on targeting Irish voters on its platform between 1 March and 25 May, and the number of referendum-linked ads that had been purchased.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/20/facebook-publish-data-irish-abortion-referendum-ad-spending-targeting-voters

20.07.2018

Facebook abortion ads

Facebook and abortion referendum

Transparent Referendum Initiative

Europe

Ireland

Ireland can agree on this: the abortion decision is not up to Mark Zuckerberg

Ireland can agree on this: the abortion decision is not up to Mark Zuckerberg
A lack of regulatory oversight means tech companies could play a significant role in the Irish referendum

Gavin Sheridan
Sun 13 May 2018

Irish voters go to the polls on 25 May to decide whether or not to repeal the eighth amendment to our constitution. Inserted in 1983 this clause gives equal constitutional legal protection to the rights of the unborn child and its mother, and makes it almost impossible to legislate for abortion. Polling suggests the proposed repeal will pass. But the decision is one of the most contentious issues Irish voters have ever faced.

As with the many past Irish referendums, the campaign posters for each side – some of them with graphic imagery – went up first. Posters are a strictly regulated part of campaigns under Irish electoral law. TV and radio advertisements are not allowed.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/13/ireland-abortion-mark-zuckerberg-referendum

Ireland – Referendum advertising rules hit strategies for final fortnight

Referendum advertising rules hit strategies for final fortnight
No side claim Facebook and Google announcements are the result of Yes lobbying

May 12, 2018
Peter Murtagh

“We are here in Dublin with ProtectThe8th this morning. Pray for us! #warroomsessions”, said the Facebook posting by Fuzati, conveying something of a mixture of giddy excitement and determination.

The photo below the message showed an unkempt room in a Georgian house, complete with Adams-style fireplace, a fine plaster ceiling and a pair of large, closed double doors leading into another room.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-referendum/referendum-advertising-rules-hit-strategies-for-final-fortnight-1.3492141

Ireland – Facebook will not extend ban to all ads relating to referendum

Facebook will not extend ban to all ads relating to referendum
Social media giant will not follow Google’s lead with wider ban; Twitter says it has not seen any attempts to manipulate platform for purposes of referendum

May 10, 2018
Pat Leahy, Sarah Bardon, Ciara O'Brien

Facebook has said that it does not intend to follow the lead of Google and ban all ads relating to the abortion referendum.

Responding to questions from The Irish Times yesterday, a Facebook spokesman said “at the moment Facebook is not considering extending the ban on foreign ads”.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-referendum/facebook-will-not-extend-ban-to-all-ads-relating-to-referendum-1.3491114

Ireland – Google ad ban delivers major blow to No campaign

Google ad ban delivers major blow to No campaign
Surprise move deprives anti-abortion campaigners of key strategic element
May 10, 2018
Pat Leahy

Google’s decision to ban all ads related to the abortion referendum has been welcomed by repeal campaigners but sharply criticised by the No campaign, which called the move “scandalous” and “an attempt to rig the referendum”.

Google’s surprise move to ban all ads comes a day after Facebook said it would ban all online ads about the referendum from foreign sources. The Google decision goes much further, and deprives anti-abortion campaigners of a key element of their strategy for the final two weeks of the campaign.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/google-ad-ban-delivers-major-blow-to-no-campaign-1.3489623

Ireland – Facebook’s ban on ads reflect nerves of repeal supporters

Facebook’s ban on ads reflect nerves of repeal supporters
Polls on abortion broadly unchanged but No side is running effective online campaign

May 9, 2018
Pat Leahy

The move by Facebook to no longer accept foreign advertisements relating to the upcoming referendum on the Eighth Amendment will come as welcome news to some on the Yes side of the campaign.

There has been rising concern among some pro-repeal groups and supporters that the referendum could be swayed in its decisive weeks towards a No vote by an avalanche of online ads.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-referendum/facebook-s-ban-on-ads-reflect-nerves-of-repeal-supporters-1.3488466

Google bans Irish abortion referendum adverts

Google bans Irish abortion referendum adverts
Decision two weeks before polling day comes amid fears that overseas organisations are targeting voters

Jim Waterson, Media editor
Wed 9 May 2018

Google has banned all adverts relating to the Irish abortion referendum from its platform, amid fears of overseas organisations taking advantage of loopholes in campaign funding laws to target voters before polling day.

The decision will mean an end to advertisements relating to the referendum appearing alongside Google results and on YouTube during the final fortnight of the campaign.

continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/09/google-bans-irish-abortion-referendum-adverts

09.05.2018

Facebook and abortion referendum

Google ads and referendum

James Lawless

Europe

Ireland

Facebook stops accepting foreign-funded ads about Ireland’s abortion vote

Facebook stops accepting foreign-funded ads about Ireland’s abortion vote

Natasha Lomas
May 8, 2018

Facebook has announced it has stopped accepting ads paid for by foreign entities that are related to a referendum vote in Ireland later this month, saying it’s acting to try to prevent outsiders from attempting to skew the vote. The referendum will decide whether to repeal or retain Ireland’s constitutional ban on abortion.

“Concerns have been raised about organisations and individuals based outside of Ireland trying to influence the outcome of the referendum on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland by buying ads on Facebook. This is an issue we have been thinking about for some time,” the company writes today on its Dublin blog.

Continued: https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/08/facebook-stops-accepting-foreign-funded-ads-about-irelands-abortion-vote/

08.05.2018