Facebook removes ads for Trump campaign with Nazi symbol

Facebook has removed advertisements from the Donald Trump election campaign team that attacked the far left and displayed an inverted red triangle, the symbol used by the Nazis to refer to political prisoners in concentration camps.

"We have removed these posts and ads because they violate our rules on organized hatred," said a spokesman for the US social media giant on Thursday June 18.

The alert was first raised by the Washington Post, which reported the problematic content to Facebook. The platform then unpublished the ads that included the red triangle.

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"We do not allow symbols that represent hateful organizations or hateful ideologies, unless it is to condemn them," said Nathaniel Gleicher, director of cybersecurity regulations at Facebook, interviewed during a hearing at US Congress Thursday on Washington Post article.

The Nazis used red triangles to identify their political victims in concentration camps. Using it to attack political opponents is highly offensive. @POTUS 'campaign needs to learn its history, as ignorance is no excuse for using Nazi-related symbols. https://t.co/7R7aGLD7kl

The red triangle appeared on some campaign messages sponsored by the President, Vice President Mike Pence, and the "Team Trump" campaign team page.

An advertisement denouncing the "antifa"

The text attacked the "dangerous hordes of extreme left groups" and called on Internet users to sign a petition against the "antifa" or anti-fascists, whom the head of state accused, without evidence, of causing damage to the demonstrations against police violence.

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The debate over the moderation of advertisements and political remarks on platforms has been agitating the United States for months, less than 140 days before the presidential election.

Facebook authorizes political ads and refuses to submit the words of candidates and elected officials to its fact-checking program, in the public interest to form its own opinion. But their messages remain subject to the general rules against terrorism, the apology of violence or even false practical information on the polls.

With AFP

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