Activism

Protesters again gather at Facebook to urge fact checking of political ads

by Linda Hubbard Gulker on January 18, 2020

Facebook users, investors, and neighbors gathered outside the Menlo Park-based company headquarters late yesterday afternoon demonstraitng against the company’s refusal to fact-check political ads run on their site.

“We are unhappy with [Facebook’s] decision to not fact check their political ads on their platform,” emailed Laura Stec of Bay Area Action. “We expect Facebook to righten this course as we approach the 2020 presidential election.
“Moreover, a greater issue is facing society. A weakening of important standards such as truth and facts poison our democracy, discourse, media, and the body politic. As Fiona Hill, National Security professional for the Trump administration said during her Capital Hill testimony, ‘Do not propagate (political) disinformation. When you do, you are doing the work of Vladimir Putin.’
“Everyone is allowed to have their own opinions, but no one is allowed to have their own facts.

“In 2020, [we believe that Facebook] must pay up by either 1) fact-checking political ads being bought and broadcast across its site, or 2) eliminate political ads all together.”

Photo by Robb Most (c) 2020

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Raging Grannies join other groups in protesting Facebook’s political ad policy

Local members of the Raging Grannies Action League (left in photo) joined with representatives from Media Alliance and Global Exchange in a protest in front of Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park yesterday to call attention to the social media company’s practice of accepting political ads even if they have demonstrably false information in them. “As culture […]

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Kehillah Jewish High School student Henry Shane organizes Global Climate Strike march

Last week, Menlo Park resident Henry Shane, who is a junior at Kehillah Jewish High School, championed a Global Climate Strike in San Francisco. With multiple police officers closing down the streets in front of the demonstration, Henry led an estimated 400 students down Howard & 2nd street, making their way from BlackRock Headquarters to […]

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Spotted: Local Raging Grannies participating in #FacebookBlackout days

Menlo Park resident Gail Sredanovic (pictured in pink jacket) was among the Raging Grannies that joined a protest in front of the Facebook thumbs up sign on December 9 (International Anti-Corruption Day) calling for a 48-hour Facebook blackout. The campaign was spurred on by Facebook’s decision in October to amend its political advertising policy — exempting politicians […]

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Local high school students attend 1Bay youth action summit at Menlo School

Rather than attending their regular high school classes on Wednesday, October 23, an eclectic group of students gathered at the Menlo School campus for the 1Bay youth action summit. Joined by teachers and parent volunteers, the event focused on inspiring change and making “real plans for real action for real impacts on whatever issue matters […]

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Spotted: Mid-Peninsula High School students walkout for climate change

Drivers honked their horns in support of Mid-Peninsula High School’s student walkout for climate change on Friday, Sept. 27. The walkout, led by the student-driven Environmental Club, follows the charge of teens around the world who have participated in walkouts during this week’s UN Climate Summit. Students stood in front of the school along Willow […]

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“Boys ’n’ Guns: Masculinity in a Culture of Violence” is topic on Aug. 10

In a time where gun violence is used as conflict resolution, it’s not just about gun control; it’s also about masculinity control. Siavash Zohoori (pictured) will address gun violence and masculinity in a Menlo Park Library talk at City Council Chambers (701 Laurel St.) at 11:00 am on Saturday, Aug. 10. Siavash was a near victim […]

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“Confronting Violence: Improving Women’s Lives” is month long focus at Menlo Park Library

Activists and reformers in the United States have long recognized the harm of domestic violence and sought to improve the lives of women who were battered. The Menlo Park Library’s temporary exhibition, Confronting Violence, Improving Women’s Lives, explores the developments during latter half of the 20th century, when nurses took up the call. Beginning in the […]

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Spotted: Demonstrators protesting children’s detention camps

Menlo Park resident Judy Adams (pictured center with mic) was among the hundreds who took part in a sidewalk demonstration on the corner of Embarcadero and El Camino yesterday in protest of children’s detention camps for asylum seekers. Judy thanked people for coming, talked about the issue of the children’s detention camps, and invited participants to the […]

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Windrider Bay Area Film Forum celebrates its 10th anniversary this June

The Windrider Bay Area Film Forum returns this month, celebrating 10 years of bringing thoughtful films followed by Q & A sessions to the Peninsula. New this year is series of receptions before and after each evening’s program with the goal of linking the issues covered on screen with local organizations taking action on the same issues. […]

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Weekly vigil focuses on National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 7

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) will be hosting it regular Friday vigil/demonstration this Friday, June 7, noon to 1:00 pm in Palo Alto at the corner of El Camino and Embarcadero. “Our special focus will be to commemorate National Gun Violence Awareness Day,” said organizer   Judy Adams.  “We will have […]

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