Facebook Called Out for Repeatedly Censoring Drug Policy Reform Discussion

Facebook has repeatedly faced criticism for censoring discussions of marijuana legalization. In 2010 and again in 2012, Facebook blocked ads supporting marijuana legalization voter initiatives and drug policy reform measures. The issue re-emerged in 2015 when the company “permanently deleted” an account for discussing New York’s newly-enacted medical marijuana law. The ongoing missteps have undermined Facebook’s effort to position itself as a key platform for reaching “a huge potential voter pool” and led to criticism that its handling of the issue “amounts to censorship.”