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GOP Congressional Candidate’s Digital Ads Are Shut Down for Unknown Reason
Osseo, WI – Col. (ret.) Steve Toft’s campaign today announced that its digital advertising was inappropriately censored and prohibited by Facebook over Memorial Day weekend. Without explanation, the ads were removed for “Unauthorized Political Content.”
“It is unconscionable that Facebook would target my campaign and our ads for censorship. As a first-time conservative candidate, who is challenging a 22-year career politician in Ron Kind, its highly suspect I was targeted for political reasons,” said Toft. “While we were honoring and celebrating the brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country on Memorial Day, Facebook was trampling on my First Amendment right to free speech.”
A similar ad can be viewed at www.toftforcongress.com The ads met all of Facebook’s new verification requirements and were posted on a political page that had been up and running since October 2017. The ads and posts contained all the disclaimers required by law.
Facebook has been under fire for targeting conservatives for censorship. Most recently, conservative commentators and Trump supporters, Diamond and Silk, were considered “unsafe” by Facebook and were banned from communicating with their more than 1.3 million followers. In 2016, Gizmodo reported Facebook purposely suppressed stories about Obama administration scandals, and trending news regarding Mitt Romney and the Conservative Political Action Conference.
The Toft ads ran for more than a week before being mysteriously targeted for censorship. As of Wednesday morning the ads were still not running with little to no explanation from Facebook.
Toft grew up on a farm in West Central Wisconsin, graduated from UW-Eau Claire and returned to Osseo after retirement. He lives there with his wife of 28 years Carla, together they have two grown children. His wife Carla also retired with rank of Colonel.
