Facebook on Friday issued an apology to PragerU for “mistakenly” removing several videos and limiting the reach of others.
We mistakenly removed these videos and have restored them because they don’t break our standards. This will reverse any reduction in content distribution you’ve experienced. We’re very sorry and are continuing to look into what happened with your Page.
— Facebook (@facebook) August 18, 2018
“We mistakenly removed these videos and have restored them because they don’t break our standards,” Facebook wrote. “This will reverse any reduction in content distribution you’ve experienced. We’re very sorry and are continuing to look into what happened with your Page.”
PragerU had earlier posted a statement via Twitter stating that “at least two videos” had been deleted, and included a screenshot of Facebook analytics that showed their last several posts being “heavily censored.” (RELATED: Facebook Censors PragerU Videos And Shadowbans Posts)
BREAKING: We’re being heavily censored on @Facebook.
Our last 9 posts are reaching 0 of our 3 million followers. At least two videos were deleted last night for “hate speech” including our recent video with @conservmillen.
SHARE to spread awareness about big tech censorship! pic.twitter.com/k83HqmlMRc
— PragerU (@prageru) August 17, 2018
PragerU was less than accepting of Facebook’s apology, calling the previous actions “deliberate censorship of conservative ideas.”
Does anyone really believe this was simply a mistake? https://t.co/DZZ5MUmjg4
— PragerU (@prageru) August 18, 2018
Removing two videos, marking them as “hate speech” and then subsequently censoring over 15 of our following posts to reach 0 of our 3 million followers is not a mistake. It’s deliberate censorship of conservative ideas. https://t.co/DZZ5MUmjg4
— PragerU (@prageru) August 18, 2018
Before Facebook’s apology, PragerU’s Chief Marketing Officer Craig Strazzeri on Friday issued a statement about the social media giant’s “whole new level of censorship.”
“While we’ve experienced blatant discrimination from Google/YouTube, which is why we’ve filed legal action against them, this represents a whole new level of censorship by Facebook,” said Strazzeri. “At this point, Facebook has provided little clarity saying it will get back to us in another two to three business days, which in the world of social media might as well be an eternity.”
“This is very troubling behavior from the world’s largest social network,” he continued. “Not only are they obviously ratcheting up their algorithms to target mainstream, conservative content and labeling it as hate speech, but they are now completely blocking our posts from public view. This is shocking and it should deeply concern every single American.”