Instagram reportedly believes a children’s book written by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and her daughter, about the history of the 19th Amendment, may “influence the outcome of an election,” so the tech giant has banned advertising for it.
The Federalist reported on the book’s ban.
Blackburn and her daughter, Mary Morgan Ketchel, wrote Camilla Can Vote: Celebrating the Centennial of Women’s Right to Vote. The book is about a young girl’s trip to a museum where she is transported back to 1920 when Tennessee became the last state to ratify the 19th Amendment passing women’s suffrage.
“Your promotion was not approved,” read an Instagram pop-up on Ketchel’s phone two weeks ago in a screenshot shared exclusively with The Federalist. “Your ad may have been rejected if it mentions politicians, topics that could influence the outcome of an election, or existing or proposed legislation.”
The book is available on Amazon here.
This is far from the first time Big Tech has censored Blackburn, ads that others aired in favor of her campaigning, and so forth.
A senior Google software engineer in 2018 called Blackburn, then a candidate, a “violent thug” and a “terrorist,” and defended the censorship of her campaign ads on social media, The Tennessee Star reported.
The Susan B. Anthony List in November 2018 said that Facebook had censored their ad contrasting Senate candidate Phil Bredesen’s pro-abortion views with opponent Blackburn’s unequivocal support for life. After Facebook’s action came to light, the media giant reversed course and allowed the ad.
Facebook in August 2018 temporarily removed three Tennessee Star articles critical of Bredesen.
Twitter temporarily banned a Blackburn campaign ad in 2017 but reversed course.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Camilla Can Vote: Celebrating the Centennial of Women’s Right to Vote” by Amazon.
