Facebook Inc. may have just proved Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s point.
The Massachusetts Democrat and presidential candidate has called for splitting up big tech companies and reversing some acquisitions, saying Facebook FB, +1.46% , Apple Inc. AAPL, +3.46% , Alphabet Inc.’s GOOGL, +2.55% GOOG, +2.93% Google and Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, +3.07% have gotten so big that they stifle competition.
But Monday, Politico reported that Facebook removed several ads placed by her presidential campaign that called for the breakup of big tech companies, including Facebook.
The social network said the ads violated its policies, but hours later backtracked and said they would be put back up. “We removed the ads because they violated our policies against use of our corporate logo. In the interest of allowing robust debate, we are restoring the ads,” a Facebook spokesperson told Politico.
“Three companies have vast power over our economy and our democracy. Facebook, Amazon, and Google,” the ads read. “We all use them. But in their rise to power, they’ve bulldozed competition, used our private information for profit, and tilted the playing field in their favor.”
Politico reported that other Facebook ads from Warren’s campaign were unaffected. The ads that had been removed contained videos urging users to sign a petition, and cost less than $100 each, Politico said.
Late Monday, Warren tweeted that Facebook’s actions were a prime example of why she backs its breakup.
“Curious why I think FB has too much power? Let’s start with their ability to shut down a debate over whether FB has too much power. Thanks for restoring my posts. But I want a social media marketplace that isn’t dominated by a single censor.”
