Nov 5, 2019
An Open Letter to Facebook: Don’t do it at all, if you can’t do it right
Why Facebook needs to drop Political Ads, for now.
There’s no easy solution for Facebook, except one. We believe that there is one thing the most powerful platform in the history of advertising can do in a critical election year: Stop the spread of lies.
We are not alone in advocating this position. Business and cultural leaders from technology, media, policy, academia, and even former candidates are signing on to ask Facebook to ban political ads at least through the 2020 election. For more on our thinking see here.
The letter we are signing and the leaders who have joined us are listed below. We welcome you joining us in this effort.
Open Letter to Mark Zuckerberg:
Mr. Zuckerberg, you must change your policy with regards to political ads. The current policy allowing politicians to state anything in a paid ad — including proven lies — is extremely dangerous to our society and our democracy. We can no longer accept the consequences of policy decisions such as these on a platform as large and intertwined in our daily lives as Facebook. We agree that Facebook should not censor ads, nor should it be the ‘protector of free speech’ for politicians. Our suggestion is you stop all political advertising altogether, at least through the 2020 election when better-considered policies might be implemented. Certain candidates may not be happy about this but it will make for higher quality dialogue and a safer election for all.
Concerned Citizens,
Baratunde Thurston, Futurist Comedian, Writer and Cultural Critic
Sophia Amoruso, Founder & CEO, Girlboss
James Forman, Professor, Yale Law School
Damon Lindelof, Writer
Brad Falchuk, Writer
Amanda de Cadenet, CEO and Founder Girlgaze Inc
Sarah Harden, Media Executive
Ilyse Hogue
Mark Suster, Managing Partner, Upfront Ventures
David Hornik, General Partner, August Capital
Hunter Walk, Partner, Homebrew
Anna Barber, Managing Director, Techstars LA
Gina Bianchini
Kate Bristow, Founder M&C Saatchi, LA
Cindy Gallop, Founder & CEO Make Love Not Porn
Michael Sippy, Chief Product Officer, Medium
Nihal Mehta, General Partner, Eniac Ventures
Damian Bradfield, Co-founder, WeTransfer
Crystal Sacca, Partner, Lowercase Capital
Bill Weihl, Former Director of Sustainability, Facebook
Brian Wecht, Musician & Physicist
Jenny Stefanotti, Founder and Principal, Dent
Mandana Dayani, Attorney
Rachel Payne, Managing Director, Full Cycle Fund & Former Democratic candidate for the 48th Congressional District of California
Suneel Gupta, Writer and Entrepreneur
Sarah Lacy, CEO Chairman Mom
Piraye Yurttas Beim, Founder & CEO, Celmatix
Nicholas Beim, Investor
Michael Silverstein, Managing Partner
Sunil Paul, Spring Ventures
Matt Rivitz, Founder, Sleeping Giants
Mera Granberg Paul, Non Profit Director
Robert Kramer, Investor, Entrepreneur
Steve Glenn, CEO, Plant Prefab
Paul Carr, Journalist
Dave Pell, Managing Editor, Internet
Agatha Sohn, Creative Director
Elizabeth Stewart, Media Industry
Heidi Lindelof, Non-Profit
Shaifali Puri, Media & International Development
Cameron Sinclair, CEO, Worldchanging
Ali Jeevanji, President, LOC Architects
Nilofer Merchant, Top Ranked Management Thinker
Will Weisman,
M. Keshavarz, The Make Agency
Kara G.
Caroline Mauldin, CEO, Happy & Bennett
Andrian Phillips, Advertising
Jessica Findley, Artist, Designer& Professor
Stuart Kennedy, Management Consultant
J. Hermelin, Producer
Peggy Tachdjian, TV Editor
Farooq Ahmed, Writer
Michael Ventura, CEO, Subrosa
Anjali Joshi, Board Director, Technology Industry
Sandeep Johri, CEO, Tricentis
Will Smith CEO, Podcast Host, Parent
Jim Greer Technology Entrepreneur and Investor
Lizzie Francis Partner, Brilliant Ventures
Leanne Meyers Prana Entertainment
Andrew Susman, New Value Associates
Scott Hartsman, Entrepreneur
Janna Anderson, Imagining the Internet Center, Elon University
A Preston Research Analyst
Jordan Weber, Marketing Manager
Jay Shellen
B. O. Innovation Lead, Automotive Supplier Company
J. McIntosh, Real Estate attorney
Tom Bentley, Copywriter
Brian S., Ad Tech executive
Michael Fan, Musician
Eric Jacobs
S. Ransom, Co-Owner at Ransom & Mitchell
T. Heatwole, Non-Profit
Angela Lathrop, Small Business Owner
David Kulp
R. Cork, Wearables
Aimee Nevins, Executive Coach
Laura Litwin, Freelance Writer
Paul Boyll, Developer
Jeff Johnstone, Canadian
Lori Shigekane, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Wife, Friend-Honolulu, Hawaii
C. Cummings, Concerned Citizen
Joni Jeffries, Freelancer
T. B., Writer
John Stewart, Technologist, father, and concerned citizen of the Unites States of America.
Gloria Chen
Gregor Gomory, Principal, Noble Cuts
Chuck Breiner, Founder, Bangmark Marketing Group, LLC
Vanessa B., Non-profit
Heliana Ramirez, PhD, LISW, Social Worker
Sarah Bernard, Former Director of Online Engagement, The White House (Obama)
Linda W., Property Manager
T. Merkle
Aarti Bhatnagar, Chief of Staff, Change.org
Tracey Van Hooser, U.S. Citizen
P. Rybovich, Concerned American Citizen
T. Robinson, Digital Media Executive
Lanny Berman, Psychologist
Denise Romesburg, Citizen
Darin Wilson, Software Developer
Eve Blossom, Social Entrepreneur and Investor
Alexander Ragan, Retired
Gary Westcott, Retired Clinical Psychologist
Steve G. W., Retired
Leah F., Healthcare
Katie Commodore, Artist
P .Welter, Retired
Mark Hofmann, Verizon
Sherelyn Jackson, Citizen
Colleen Walsh, Copy Editor, magazine publishing
David Ewick, Librarian
Joan Berman, Concerned Citizen
Ben Elowitz, Madrona Venture Labs
Katie K., Nonprofit marketing & communications
Diana R., ED
Pam Goodman, Goodman Communications, Consultant
Becky Ellisor, Writer
Ross Mayfield, CEO
William Patten, Nonprofit Manager, Retired
K Liao, Retired Realtor
Lenny Gale, Life is NOYOKE
P Jensen, Retired Federal Employee
L Miles, USC
Roger Neal
Zia Khan, CEO, Lucid Partners
Erin Robinson, Earth Science Information Partners
Dave Winter, Professor of Technology Ethics, California State University, Long Beach
Bob Iannucci, Software Engineer
L .Casey, Attorney
Nell Derick, Debevoise Founder and CEO, Inspiring Capital
L. Merk, Mom at Large
Doug Cohen, Advertising / Media
Kristin Ames, Former Facebook User
Todd Chatman
Roxanna Volmar, Concerned C
Jeff Z. President, ZeffTech, Inc.
D Steiner, COO, Health Tech
Amy Harding, Self employed
M.J. Parker
S. N.
Lyle Turner, Parent and US Citizen
J .Chapman
Fiona Zeman, Fashion Retail Marketing Executive
Rudy Lewis, Concerned Citizen
J Westley, VP Operations, Ferry International
Nigel Brachi
Susan de Witt, Impact Investor
Mina A., Education & Law
Arianne Phillips, Entertainment Industry
Scott Robb Don’t be a Richard
David Bacon Healthcare
Chelsea Clay, Social Worker
Ted Reckas, Writer
Nipul Patel
Matt Masurka, Web Developer
Ryan Ozawa, Editor in Chief, Techspotting
Rupert Mayer, Founder & CPO, Software Industry
Sheila Leonoudakis, Retired Teacher
Drew Dellinger, Ph.D.
Allison Moss, Lifelong Voter
Mike K., Non-Profit Executive
Jane Beebe
J. Taylor, Business Owner
Jesse Engle, Co-founder Tap Bio, Good Work House
Paul Fischer, Network Engineer
Katie Smith, Educator
Kara Weber, Brilliant Ventures
Ben Meneses-Sosa, Father of two Mexican American children
Q. Daly, Consultant
Emma Howk, Writer
Jennifer Ward, Concerned Mom
Tom Dove, Journalist
Joseph Gosse, Product Manager
Ellen Sullivan, Concerned citizen
Michelle C. , Antiracist
K S Dr.
C. Martin RAD, Founder
Caitlin Tremain
Andrea F., Entrepreneur
Colby Teller, Digital Marketing Leader
Liam F., Management Consultant — Aerospace and Defense
Stephen Aiena, Website developer
Adriana Devine, Business + technology consultant
L. B., Engineer
Matt Klinman, Comedy Writer, Director
Michael Johnson, Corporate publications editor, retired
David Salaguinto, Senior PM at Microsoft
D. Windsong, Wellness Facilitator
Trenton DuVal, Fin Tech Content Manager
Janet Piele, Digital marketing specialist
Bryan R., University of Michigan, graduate student
Clare Warburton, An expat american citizen
Johanna Sullivan, Private Chef
Tara Rayder Baker
N. McReynolds, Consultant
Gina A.
Dave Morris, Tech Industry
B Conwell, Medical industry
Kerry Lynch, Concerned Citizen / Facebook User
Patrick Wlaschin, Retired
Gabe Johnson, Entrepreneur
Susan Jones Attorney, Mother, Grandmother
Chelsea W., Copyeditor
Anna D., Medical Social Worker
Sarah Brown, Nonprofit Consultant, Racial Justice & Interfaith Activist, Mom, & Concerned Facebook User
Robert Safian, Editor-in-chief, founder, The Flux Group
Spencer Lucker, City of Detroit
Carrie Steinbach, Physical therapist
Whitney Moses, Musician
Linda Finkel-Talvadkar
Tasha Lemley, Freelancer
Vosco Rash, curious human
Michael P. Tottenm, CEO, AssetsforLife.net
Michael Kaplan, Comedian
A Feucht, Freelance Writer
Jeff Berman, Entrepreneur and Activist
Raina Kumra, Advocate, Investor and Reformed Advertising Executive
(list in active formation)
