In this week's tumultuous return to our 2020 schedule, we breakdown the recent disappearance of the controversial Teen Vogue 'advertorial' praising Facebook's dedication to a fair and honest 2020 election. We review the original piece and explain its complicated creation, as well as discover shocking things about their internal team.

--------

Eating For Free is an investigative podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of critical reporters at a time when pop culture and tech coverage is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare!

Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to monthly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! 

Any personal, business, or general inquires can be sent to [email protected] 

• Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram.
• Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

Part 1 - Sources

• Katie Harbath’s Career History (LinkedIn)
• DCI Group Controversies (Wikipedia)
• Astroturfing History (Wikipedia)
• Education Management Corporation (Wikipedia)
• National Republican Senate Committee (Facebook)
• Sarah Schiff (LinkedIn)
• Facebook let Trump's campaign run over 2,000 ads referring to immigration as an “invasion” (MediaMatters)
• Monica Lee (Website)
• The cure for Facebook's fake news infection? It might be these women (CNET)
• Crystal Patterson at the RNC (FacebookWatch)
• One year inside Trump's monumental Facebook campaign (TheGuardian)
• Pro-Trump super PACs draw scrutiny for Facebook ads seeking voter registration data (TheWashingtonPost)
• Teen Vogue Editorial Staff Had No Idea About That Mysterious Facebook Advertorial: Source (Jezebel)
• Forget fake news stories. False text posts are getting massive engagement on Facebook (Poynter)

Other Sources

• Facebook Says It Won’t Back Down From Allowing Lies in Political Ads (New York Times)
• Fresh Cambridge Analytica leak ‘shows global manipulation is out of control’ (The Guardian)
• How white supremacists evade Facebook bans (The Verge)
• Facebook civil rights audit says white supremacy policy is ‘too narrow’ (The Verge)
• Facebook Allowed Advertisers to Target Users Interested in “White Genocide” (The Intercerpt)
• Facebook’s refusal to fact-check political ads is reckless (The Guardian)
• U.S. charges Facebook with racial discrimination in targeted housing ads (Reuters)
• Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal (Wikipedia)
• Mark Zuckerberg Addresses 'Breach Of Trust' In Facebook User Data Crisis (Forbes)
• Facebook Spreads Viral Fake News Story About Vaccines (Newsweek)
• A shockingly large majority of health news shared on Facebook is fake or misleading (FastCompany)
• Facebook will not remove fake news - but will 'demote' it (BBC)
• Forget fake news stories. False text posts are getting massive engagement on Facebook (Poynter)
• Social media manipulation rising globally, new report warns (University of Oxford)
• Facebook: Most political trolls are American, not Russian (The Telegraph)
• Is Facebook undermining democracy in Africa? (BBC)
• Facebook Removed Nearly 3.4 Billion Fake Accounts In 6 Months (NPR)
• Exposing Russia’s Effort to Sow Discord Online: The Internet Research Agency and Advertisements (White House Intelligence Committee)
• Kremlin Cash Behind Billionaire’s Twitter and Facebook Investments (The New York Times)