Thread by @fadiquran

Wow - both Parler and NewsMax have jumped to the Top 5 App downloads this week, indicating a huge migration of mainly far-right, “StopTheSteal” users from @Facebook & @FoxNews.

We know EXACTLY why this is happening (& why it’s worrying) (thread) #Election2020 #Protect2020

About two/three weeks ago, a heavy push began from influencers & FB pages, mainly on the right, of “coupe” and “voter fraud claims”, many of which our team has been monitoring and reporting on.

With this intense focus from fact-checkers, civil society, #FB, and us the ...2/

...misinformation was being caught & labeled faster (still not fast enough, but much faster than before).

Here’s the BIG story: @Facebook has a commitment to reduce the reach of repeat misinformers. It’s exact rules & how well & on who it applies them aren’t transparent BUT..3/

...it appears that given
1) the pressure Facebook was under,
2) the general scrutiny on ensuring this election isn’t defined by disinfo
3) New tactics devised by civil society to help detect what pages were spreading this misinfo (our team designed 3 new tools for example) 4/

4) Faster fact-checking —
5) Direct pressure and advocacy

@Facebook was compelled to downgrade the repeat sharers of this content more forcefully, on all sides of the political spectrum (although of course one side shares more misinfo).

That’s why, SUDDENLY, two weeks ago..5/

Our team began noticing big signals - dozens of pages we had previously flagged for misinfo were seeing a decrease in reach & many were openly complaining about warnings from @Facebook that they will have “reduced distribution” 6/

This “detoxing” and demotion increased last week when Facebook “Broke the glass”, as @MikeIsaac put it, as things got more tense. Thats also when these actors sought to shift to their favorite mobilization tool, FB groups. BUT AGAIN, under pressure, FB acted fast... 7/

on groups by adding friction tools & even removing some groups

Suddenly, as if in the blink of an eye, Facebook went from being many of these misinformation actors’ favourite & most powerful weapon of choice, to their biggest enemy. That’s when calls by top influencers like...8/

...Dan Bongino began to surface for their followers to join Parler & Newsmax.

Their initial strategy was clear, a massive social media misinfo campaign on FB and Twitter to build a HUGE movement that divides the country with conspiracy theories about the vote being stolen.9/

Now, for months FB allowed this “voter fraud” narrative to build up. These pages & groups sharing misinfo were allowed to amplify & reach way too many Americans with Disinfo and hate, but the pressure &changing political winds led to a more strict FB —> hurt these plans 10/

This does not mean FB has done enough, but rather that it is less of a facilitator than it was.

Now many of the misinfo actors, needing to boost this “steal the vote” narrative, are shifting to platforms where they can more easily coordinate & amplify. They’re hurt that FB...11

...turned its back on them.

Some things to consider:

a) Why did it take Facebook this long to more effectively clean up its algorithm so that misinfo and repeat misinfo sharers are not amplified?

b) Will this only be a US measure because of pressure &strong civil society?12/

c) Many of these groups are seeking to radicalize against the democratic process through misinfo. Parler is now their home & although it does not give them the scale to reach & mobilize millions as Facebook did for a decade, it is a problem that needs quick engagement. 13/

d) These actors are still using Facebook tools to reach users & have developed new tactics to avoid Facebook’s policies. Facebook is still a facilitator, and there are more steps it needs to take - but this is a start they should be proud of. 14/

But what’s most interesting here is:

Imagine what our social media and the world would look like if Facebook had taken this problem seriously 8 years ago or 4 years ago? Should any company have the power to shape our whole political ecosystem like this? 15/

Our team is beginning to put together a scorecard of where @Facebook succeeded and failed in the last month - with an eye on what it still must do in the US and the world. Please send any feedback perspectives our way to include.

DM me if interested and I’ll share when ready16/

I am also worried about upcoming elections in Brazil and other countries — if FB doesn’t act like it did in the US, these countries will be taken over by authoritarian winds. The platform must quickly escalate its efforts globally, not just where it’s politically pushed to do so.