Facebook temporarily shut down the advertising account for a Republican fundraising group just four days before Election Day in the Georgia Runoffs.
“Big Tech is at it again,” the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) said Friday on Twitter. “Facebook has shut down the ad account for the Georgia Battleground Fund, a joint fundraising committee for NRSC, @Perduesenate, and @kloeffler. This is unacceptable with only 4 days to Election Day.”
Big Tech is at it again.
Facebook has shut down the ad account for the Georgia Battleground Fund, a joint fundraising committee for NRSC, @Perduesenate, and @kloeffler.
This is unacceptable with only 4 days to Election Day.
Go to https://t.co/E3Y3IDuuxn to help us fight back. pic.twitter.com/katrpxRaPV
— The Senate Majority (@NRSC) January 1, 2021
A Facebook company spokesperson said that the account was shut down in error and has since been restored.
“An automated error caused this ad account to be disabled,” the company spokesperson said. “The account has since been restored.”
The NRSC’s Twitter post included a screenshot showing that the ad account was “disabled for [a] policy violation.”
“We don’t allow ads that promote products, services, schemes or offers using deceptive or misleading practices, including those meant to mislead or scam people out of money or personal information,” the note said. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Senate Republicans Raise Historic Number In Fundraising — Nearly Double Previous Record)
Facebook also added that “new issue, electoral or political ads can’t be published in the US from October 27 through November 3, but existing ads can still run, with limitations. “All issue, electoral, or political ads in the US will temporarily stop running starting November 4.”
The Georgia Battleground Fund is the joint fundraising committee between the NRSC and Republican Georgia Senate candidates Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. As of Dec. 16, the group had raised more than $49 million, according to ProPublica.
The races in Georgia, both of which have gone to a runoff election, will determine control of the Senate.