“Reagan” star Dennis Quaid on Tuesday responded to Facebook’s explanation for why it’s curbing efforts to ramp up publicity for his new biopic about the 40th president, saying the explanation isn’t convincing.
Facebook reportedly initially did not allow the film’s marketing team to promote posts featuring Quaid’s photo through paid ads, and the platform also suspended the film’s official accounts at least twice for posting videos of Quaid talking about the film in media appearances.
The marketers said they were told by Facebook that their posts “mention politicians or are about sensitive issues that could influence public opinion or people’s voting behavior and affect the outcome of elections or pending legislation.” But as Quaid pointed out to Fox News’ Trace Gallagher, Reagan died in 2004 and is clearly ineligible to serve another term.
“For some reason, it seems to be automated like that, and no one is holding it accountable,” Quaid said. “In fact, this has happened a few times, and we were suspended for two days in a row…Last I heard, Reagan hasn’t been on the ballot in 40 years, and not only that, he’s not even eligible to run because he served two terms.”
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A Facebook spokesperson said: Newsweek “While there are no restrictions on this page that would prevent administrators from posting, we were made aware of some ads that were incorrectly rejected from this account because our automated systems incorrectly determined that content related to President Reagan required prior approval in accordance with our policies,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday. Social Issues, Elections, and Politics Advertising PolicyThis was a mistake and the advertising restrictions have been lifted.”
Quaid told Gallagher he was troubled by Facebook’s actions.
“Reagan” star Dennis Quaid has accused Facebook of censoring promotional material for his upcoming biopic. (Showbiz Direct)
“Honestly, it’s confusing because it’s banned and they haven’t seen it yet,” he said. “So they don’t want other people to see it either. But we can always set up a screening so they can see it for themselves. It’s a film about America and the ’80s and Ronald Reagan and his life. It’s about the fight against communism.”
Quaid told podcast mogul Joe Rogan this week that he is well aware of social media’s efforts to stamp out conservative views.
During the period Latest Episode During an interview on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the actor told the podcast host that content from an upcoming movie about legendary Republican president Ronald Reagan appears to be being censored by Facebook.
“There’s censorship happening through Facebook,” Quaid told Rogan in the episode that aired Thursday.
After a lengthy discussion about how conservative voices are silenced by the media, the actor explained that Facebook appears to be targeting and blocking ads promoting his new film, claiming that the content is “an attempt to sway the election.”
Quaid expressed disbelief at the accusation, telling the host, “The last time I heard that was 40 years ago when Reagan was running for office.”
Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller play Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan in the upcoming biopic “Reagan.” (Showbiz Direct)
“Do you think making a film that’s positive about Obama would have an impact on the election?” Rogan asked.
The actor responded that the Obama movie was made in 2020, but no one seems to care.
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The “Reagan” star reversed his accusations of election interference, adding, “As you say, the very act of banning or censoring that material is an attempt to sway an election.”
Quaid acknowledged that he and the film’s production team wrote to Facebook to complain about the targeting, after which the tech giant admitted it had made a “mistake,” but he didn’t seem too convinced by the excuse.
“Facebook has since maintained that they made a mistake. We said so yesterday, in writing to Facebook about the Newsweek article. Facebook says they made a mistake. Their automated systems detected it.”
“Oh, how convenient,” Logan replied sarcastically, before suggesting that “rogue” far-left employees may have had something to do with the “mistake.”
“Reagan” will be released in theaters nationwide on August 30th.
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