In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, Facebook said it was taking “emergency” measures to prevent people from using the platform to spread misinformation or coordinate violence. Among those measures, CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified under oath before Congress in October, Facebook had stopped recommending all “political content or social issue groups”—a practice its own internal research has suggested steers users toward divisive and extremist content.
Days after a riot organized at least partially on social media overtook the U.S. Capitol, Facebook reiterated in a Jan. 11 blog post that it was “not recommending civic groups for people to join.”
Citizen Browser
Lawmaker Questions Facebook on Broken Election-Related Promise
Following an investigation by The Markup, Sen. Ed Markey is asking for answers on why Facebook failed to stop recommending political groups
But contrary to Facebook’s claims, The Markup found the platform continued to recommend political groups to its users throughout December. We found 12 political groups among the top 100 groups recommended to the more than 1,900 Facebook users in our Citizen Browser project, which tracks links and group recommendations served to a nationwide panel of Facebook users. Our data shows Facebook also continued to recommend political groups throughout January, including after it renewed its promise not to on Jan. 11.
Facebook pushed political groups most often to the Trump voters on our panel. Almost one fourth of the top 100 groups suggested to Trump voters were political—and political groups accounted for half of the top 10 groups recommended to Trump voters. Some posts in those groups contained conspiracy theories, calls to violence against public officials, and discussions of logistics for attending the rally that preceded the Capitol riot.
“We have a clear policy against recommending civic or political groups on our platforms,” Facebook spokesperson Kevin McAlister wrote in response to The Markup’s findings, “and are investigating why these were recommended in the first place.”
Nearly a quarter of Trump voters received recommendations to join political groups, while non-voters received none
The 100 most commonly recommended political and non-political Facebook groups, by voter affiliation
The Far Side
Recommended to 26.0% of Trump voters
Political group
Tucker Carlson Fox News
Recommended to 19.9% of Trump voters
Political group
Candace Owens For POTUS, 2024
Recommended to 19.1% of Trump voters
Political group
Kayleigh McEnany Fan Club
Recommended to 18.5% of Trump voters
DIY,Ideas,Projects,Crafts and more
Recommended to 17.1% of Trump voters
Political group
Patriot Room (formerly Leo Terrell 2.0)
Recommended to 15.9% of Trump voters
Field and Barn Finds-Classic Cars/Trucks For Sale or Trade
Recommended to 14.8% of Trump voters
1970s ✌ doyouremember.com
Recommended to 14.8% of Trump voters
Political group
Official Kayleigh McEnany page! No spam or trolls allowed this time!
Recommended to 13.6% of Trump voters
The Dodo
Recommended to 12.8% of Trump voters
Win The Win
Recommended to 11.4% of Trump voters
Cast Iron Cooking
Recommended to 10.6% of Trump voters
Dad Jokes Everywhere
Recommended to 10.4% of Trump voters
Air Fryer Tips and Recipes
Recommended to 10.0% of Trump voters
Instant Pot® Community
Recommended to 9.8% of Trump voters
Political group
Candace Owens 2024 🇺🇸
Recommended to 9.6% of Trump voters
The Marriage Club
Recommended to 9.4% of Trump voters
Doggy Memes & Videos
Recommended to 8.9% of Trump voters
Political group
Dan Crenshaw for POTUS 2024
Recommended to 8.7% of Trump voters
Political group
Rudy Giuliani [Common Sense]
Recommended to 8.3% of Trump voters
Funny Christmas Memes!
Recommended to 8.3% of Trump voters
Political group
Dan Bongino Fans
Recommended to 7.9% of Trump voters
Political group
Ben Shapiro Fans
Recommended to 7.5% of Trump voters
Positive Quotes
Recommended to 7.5% of Trump voters
FreebieShark's Official Group
Recommended to 7.3% of Trump voters
The Far Side
Recommended to 7.3% of Trump voters
Political group
Kayleigh McEnany Supporters and Fans
Recommended to 7.3% of Trump voters
Dhar Mann Official FAN page- Asia/Middle East/Europe/Africa
Recommended to 6.9% of Trump voters
Political group
One America News Network ✅ (Fan Group)
Recommended to 6.7% of Trump voters
Cheap Meal Ideas
Recommended to 6.5% of Trump voters
Political group
Victor Davis Hanson Fan Club
Recommended to 6.5% of Trump voters
DIY Farmhouse Vintage Shabby Chic (Original)
Recommended to 6.3% of Trump voters
Political group
Reinstate Amiri King!
Recommended to 6.3% of Trump voters
Good Old Days
Recommended to 6.3% of Trump voters
Good Ole Soul Food Recipes
Recommended to 6.3% of Trump voters
Feisty Soul Tribe ~ The Group
Recommended to 6.1% of Trump voters
5-Minute Diy Arts & Crafts
Recommended to 6.1% of Trump voters
Political group
Trey Gowdy: The Legend with Great Hair
Recommended to 6.1% of Trump voters
Weird Secondhand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared
Recommended to 5.9% of Trump voters
LAUGH WITH AUNTY ACID- MAXINE
Recommended to 5.7% of Trump voters
Fun & Funny Christmas Memes
Recommended to 5.5% of Trump voters
Funny sarcastic grandma
Recommended to 5.5% of Trump voters
80s/90s/ Early 2000s Nostalgia Haven
Recommended to 5.5% of Trump voters
Funny Huskies
Recommended to 5.3% of Trump voters
Hold My Beer , The Short Bus Is Here
Recommended to 5.3% of Trump voters
Ibotta's Saver Community
Recommended to 5.1% of Trump voters
Political group
FLOTUS Melania
Recommended to 5.1% of Trump voters
Doggo
Recommended to 5.1% of Trump voters
Cheap Cars for Sale by Owner
Recommended to 5.1% of Trump voters
Political group
Donald J. Trump 2nd Presidential Inauguration Ceremony
Recommended to 5.1% of Trump voters
Instant Pot Recipes Only
Recommended to 4.9% of Trump voters
Christian Inspirational Quotes
Recommended to 4.9% of Trump voters
Golden Retriever Club
Recommended to 4.7% of Trump voters
Christian Humor
Recommended to 4.7% of Trump voters
Dogspotting
Recommended to 4.7% of Trump voters
Political group
Fans of One America News Network (OANN)
Recommended to 4.7% of Trump voters
The Original Cranky Old Women Group.
Recommended to 4.5% of Trump voters
ALDI Aisle of Shame Community
Recommended to 4.5% of Trump voters
Cool Dog Group
Recommended to 4.5% of Trump voters
Ashley's free sample and direct ship!
Recommended to 4.5% of Trump voters
Freebies!
Recommended to 4.3% of Trump voters
Disapproving Corgis
Recommended to 4.3% of Trump voters
Crafty Fun Group
Recommended to 4.3% of Trump voters
Grand Larsony
Recommended to 4.3% of Trump voters
Slaton Sisters for All
Recommended to 4.3% of Trump voters
Walter E. Williams
Recommended to 4.3% of Trump voters
Political group
Trump Daily Report
Recommended to 4.3% of Trump voters
Rate My Dog
Recommended to 4.1% of Trump voters
Friends of Sidney Powell
Recommended to 4.1% of Trump voters
Art, Crafts & DIY
Recommended to 4.1% of Trump voters
Primer & Rust, Rats & Rods
Recommended to 4.1% of Trump voters
Dogs and puppies for rehoming near me
Recommended to 3.9% of Trump voters
Biker Online Yard Sale
Recommended to 3.9% of Trump voters
Antique, Classic and Muscle Cars (For Sale Group)
Recommended to 3.9% of Trump voters
Crockpot/Slow Cooker Recipes & Tips
Recommended to 3.9% of Trump voters
Grandma Funnies
Recommended to 3.9% of Trump voters
The Smart Report
Recommended to 3.9% of Trump voters
LEGIT FREEBIES & MORE!
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
Dash Cam Footage Community
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
Hot Rods, Classics, Muscle Cars, Kustoms, Gassers, Street Rods, 4Sale
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
LAUGH WITH THE LADIES
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
Just For Jokes
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
Dr Pimple videos
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
Amazing World
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
Political group
Donald Trump Is Our President - The Group
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
Golden Retriever the Paws
Recommended to 3.7% of Trump voters
Star Trek Memes
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Dog Missing / Pet Lost & Found Alert Group
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Swagbucks
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Turner Classic Movies For Fans!
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Political group
Women for Trump
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
PROPHET TRACY COOKE PROPHECIES UPDATE
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
💞🐶 Dachshund Love 🐶💞
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Only The Hilarious
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Work Week Memes
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Our Relationship Rules
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Relationship Love Quotes
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Political group
The Ben Shapiro Show Memes and Discussion
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Pennsylvania Campers And Parts For Sale
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
Political group
Dr. Steve Turley Fans
Recommended to 3.5% of Trump voters
The Far Side
Recommended to 30.0% of Biden voters
The Marriage Club
Recommended to 14.4% of Biden voters
Weird Secondhand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared
Recommended to 14.2% of Biden voters
DIY,Ideas,Projects,Crafts and more
Recommended to 13.4% of Biden voters
The Dodo
Recommended to 12.8% of Biden voters
Instant Pot® Community
Recommended to 12.3% of Biden voters
Doggy Memes & Videos
Recommended to 12.1% of Biden voters
Air Fryer Tips and Recipes
Recommended to 11.5% of Biden voters
Good Ole Soul Food Recipes
Recommended to 10.9% of Biden voters
Field and Barn Finds-Classic Cars/Trucks For Sale or Trade
Recommended to 10.6% of Biden voters
Disapproving Corgis
Recommended to 10.0% of Biden voters
1970s ✌ doyouremember.com
Recommended to 9.0% of Biden voters
Political group
Steve Schmidt fan club
Recommended to 8.1% of Biden voters
Doggo
Recommended to 8.0% of Biden voters
Relationship Love Quotes
Recommended to 7.8% of Biden voters
Dad Jokes Everywhere
Recommended to 7.7% of Biden voters
80s/90s/ Early 2000s Nostalgia Haven
Recommended to 7.7% of Biden voters
Political group
Dr. Fauci Fan Club
Recommended to 7.2% of Biden voters
Dogspotting
Recommended to 7.2% of Biden voters
Cheap Meal Ideas
Recommended to 7.0% of Biden voters
Our Relationship Rules
Recommended to 7.0% of Biden voters
Cheap Cars for Sale by Owner
Recommended to 7.0% of Biden voters
Love Quotes
Recommended to 6.8% of Biden voters
So in Love
Recommended to 6.6% of Biden voters
❤️Love Life ❤️
Recommended to 6.3% of Biden voters
ALDI Aisle of Shame Community
Recommended to 6.3% of Biden voters
Political group
Lincoln Project Americans Protecting Democracy
Recommended to 6.3% of Biden voters
The Far Side
Recommended to 6.2% of Biden voters
Instant Pot Recipes Only
Recommended to 6.0% of Biden voters
Star Trek Memes
Recommended to 6.0% of Biden voters
THIS CAT IS C H O N K Y
Recommended to 5.9% of Biden voters
Positive Quotes
Recommended to 5.9% of Biden voters
Relationship Goals 💗
Recommended to 5.8% of Biden voters
Cool Dog Group
Recommended to 5.8% of Biden voters
TRUE LOVE STORY
Recommended to 5.8% of Biden voters
Funny Huskies
Recommended to 5.6% of Biden voters
Cast Iron Cooking
Recommended to 5.5% of Biden voters
Please show to Jim ! ! HA ! ! HA ! !
Recommended to 5.4% of Biden voters
Calvin and Hobbes Ride Again
Recommended to 5.3% of Biden voters
In The Kitchen With EmmyMade
Recommended to 5.3% of Biden voters
Political group
Funny Trump Memes
Recommended to 5.3% of Biden voters
Relationship quotes
Recommended to 5.3% of Biden voters
Political group
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Recommended to 5.2% of Biden voters
Political group
Joe BIDEN POTUS 46 Official
Recommended to 5.2% of Biden voters
Extreme Love Group
Recommended to 5.1% of Biden voters
Amazing World
Recommended to 5.0% of Biden voters
DEAR EX-BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND
Recommended to 5.0% of Biden voters
Rate My Dog
Recommended to 4.9% of Biden voters
Love & Relationships
Recommended to 4.9% of Biden voters
LOVE QUOTE AND UPDATE
Recommended to 4.9% of Biden voters
Relationship Advice
Recommended to 4.8% of Biden voters
Dogspotting Society
Recommended to 4.8% of Biden voters
Funny Christmas Memes!
Recommended to 4.7% of Biden voters
Love My Husband Quotes
Recommended to 4.7% of Biden voters
RELATIONSHIP & DATING TIPS
Recommended to 4.7% of Biden voters
Moments of love
Recommended to 4.7% of Biden voters
Positive and Motivational Quotes about Everything
Recommended to 4.6% of Biden voters
Political group
Steve Schmidt Humanitarian &Patriot vs. tRump Redux
Recommended to 4.5% of Biden voters
Political group
Barack Obama Fan Club
Recommended to 4.4% of Biden voters
Husband and Wife love zone
Recommended to 4.3% of Biden voters
Political group
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN 2021
Recommended to 4.2% of Biden voters
Turner Classic Movies For Fans!
Recommended to 4.1% of Biden voters
Heartbroken Quotes
Recommended to 4.1% of Biden voters
True Love Matters
Recommended to 4.0% of Biden voters
All About Relationships ❤️
Recommended to 4.0% of Biden voters
Art, Crafts & DIY
Recommended to 3.9% of Biden voters
5-Minute Diy Arts & Crafts
Recommended to 3.9% of Biden voters
Political group
The Lincoln Project > Undo the Damage
Recommended to 3.9% of Biden voters
Grand Larsony
Recommended to 3.9% of Biden voters
FreebieShark's Official Group
Recommended to 3.8% of Biden voters
The Official Crow, Raven & Other Corvids Fan Page
Recommended to 3.8% of Biden voters
The Hudson Valley in pictures
Recommended to 3.8% of Biden voters
A Group Where We Pretend its 2009-2012
Recommended to 3.8% of Biden voters
Political group
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Fan Club
Recommended to 3.7% of Biden voters
Political group
Joe Biden lovers
Recommended to 3.6% of Biden voters
Only Thai Food Recipes
Recommended to 3.6% of Biden voters
💞🐶 Dachshund Love 🐶💞
Recommended to 3.6% of Biden voters
Dogs and puppies for rehoming near me
Recommended to 3.6% of Biden voters
Political group
BidenHarris2020
Recommended to 3.6% of Biden voters
Only The Hilarious
Recommended to 3.6% of Biden voters
Political group
The Liberal Skeptic's Dank Meme Stash
Recommended to 3.6% of Biden voters
Throwback Jamz: Music That's Good For The Soul
Recommended to 3.6% of Biden voters
Primer & Rust, Rats & Rods
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Cute couples/romantic quotes
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Eastern Shore Boat and Marine Stuff
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Good Old Days
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
A Group Where We Only Speak Like Nathan W. Pyle Beings
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Dhar Mann Official FAN page- Asia/Middle East/Europe/Africa
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
🔥 Seafood & Soul Food Recipe Foodies 😋 The Original!
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Sweet Relationship Quotes
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
LAUGH WITH AUNTY ACID- MAXINE
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Mature Conversations About Relationships
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Old Images of New York Group
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Political group
Project Lincoln
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Science Humor
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Feisty Soul Tribe ~ The Group
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
Cars For Sale In Nj
Recommended to 3.5% of Biden voters
LOVE STORY/POEMS
Recommended to 3.4% of Biden voters
Funny sarcastic grandma
Recommended to 3.4% of Biden voters
Accidental Renaissance Paintings
Recommended to 3.4% of Biden voters
Good Ole Soul Food Recipes
Recommended to 13.8% of Non-voters
The Marriage Club
Recommended to 12.9% of Non-voters
Field and Barn Finds-Classic Cars/Trucks For Sale or Trade
Recommended to 12.1% of Non-voters
The Dodo
Recommended to 12.1% of Non-voters
80s/90s/ Early 2000s Nostalgia Haven
Recommended to 12.1% of Non-voters
Relationship Memes
Recommended to 11.2% of Non-voters
Cheap Meal Ideas
Recommended to 11.2% of Non-voters
Freebies!
Recommended to 10.3% of Non-voters
The Far Side
Recommended to 10.3% of Non-voters
FreebieShark's Official Group
Recommended to 9.5% of Non-voters
Relationship Love Quotes
Recommended to 9.5% of Non-voters
Amazing World
Recommended to 9.5% of Non-voters
DIY,Ideas,Projects,Crafts and more
Recommended to 9.5% of Non-voters
Relationship Goals 💗
Recommended to 8.6% of Non-voters
So in Love
Recommended to 8.6% of Non-voters
Doggy Memes & Videos
Recommended to 8.6% of Non-voters
Instant Pot Recipes Only
Recommended to 8.6% of Non-voters
❤️Love Life ❤️
Recommended to 8.6% of Non-voters
Vietnamese Cooking Group
Recommended to 7.8% of Non-voters
Dhar Mann Official FAN page- Asia/Middle East/Europe/Africa
Recommended to 7.8% of Non-voters
RELATIONSHIP & DATING TIPS
Recommended to 7.8% of Non-voters
Disapproving Corgis
Recommended to 7.8% of Non-voters
Our Relationship Rules
Recommended to 7.8% of Non-voters
Weird Secondhand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared
Recommended to 7.8% of Non-voters
A Group Where We Pretend its 2009-2012
Recommended to 7.8% of Non-voters
Guide2Free FREE Samples, Freebies, Product Testing, Direct Ship & More
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
Positive Quotes about Everything
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
Netflix Bangers
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
Ashley's free sample and direct ship!
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
Dad Jokes Everywhere
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
Funny Christmas Memes!
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
Dogspotting
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
Instant Pot® Community
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
Please show to Jim ! ! HA ! ! HA ! !
Recommended to 6.9% of Non-voters
1970s ✌ doyouremember.com
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Antique, Classic and Muscle Cars (For Sale Group)
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
LEGIT FREEBIES & MORE!
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
TRUE LOVE STORY
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Ibotta's Saver Community
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
The Far Side
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Freebie Mom
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Moments of love
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Positive Quotes
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
♥ LIGHTWORKERS of THE WORLD ♥
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Love Quotes
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Dr Pimple videos
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Extreme Love Group
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
💞🐶 Dachshund Love 🐶💞
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Cast Iron Cooking
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Cheap Cars for Sale by Owner
Recommended to 6.0% of Non-voters
Husband and Wife love zone
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Lover's Touch🔥
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Heartbroken Quotes
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Caribbean Recipes
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
LOVE QUOTE AND UPDATE
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Cute couples/romantic quotes
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
TRUE QUOTES IN RELATIONSHIPS.
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Air Fryer Tips and Recipes
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Funny Huskies
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Relationship Advice
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
🔥 Seafood & Soul Food Recipe Foodies 😋 The Original!
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Art, Crafts & DIY
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Female Problems
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Love & Relationships
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
The Relationship Quotes
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
BROKEN HEART QUOTES
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
Fan Valkyrae
Recommended to 5.2% of Non-voters
I Was A 90s Nick Kid
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Cool Dog Group
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Abandoned and Neglected Vehicles For SALE
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Instant Pot Vietnamese Food Recipes
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Johnny depp
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Cars For Sale In Nj
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
THIS CAT IS C H O N K Y
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Ibotta Friends and Bonuses
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Manhattan Before 1990
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
LOVE STORY/POEMS
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Makeup Lovers
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
BROKEN HEART QUOTES
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
That’s It, I’m Eyelash Shaming
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Totally free samples, full size products & Awesome Deals!!
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
5-Minute Diy Arts & Crafts
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Cute Thoughts
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Good Old Days
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Welsh Twins
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
That’s it, I’m hair shaming
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Shopkicks
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
VonBeau - Freebies, Samples, Deals & Coupons!
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Old Images of New York Group
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Muscle Car Lovers
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
#1 Baby Yoda Memes
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Doggo
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Turner Classic Movies For Fans!
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Relationship quotes ❤❤
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Emo Memes Melt Steel Beams
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Official Sweepstakes Fanatics Group
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Quotes Lovers
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Love My Husband Quotes
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
𝐆𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢 𝐀𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
Jobs In New York City NYC
Recommended to 4.3% of Non-voters
The Far Side
Recommended to 27.6% of All panelists
DIY,Ideas,Projects,Crafts and more
Recommended to 14.0% of All panelists
The Dodo
Recommended to 12.8% of All panelists
The Marriage Club
Recommended to 12.8% of All panelists
Field and Barn Finds-Classic Cars/Trucks For Sale or Trade
Recommended to 12.1% of All panelists
Weird Secondhand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared
Recommended to 11.5% of All panelists
Instant Pot® Community
Recommended to 11.2% of All panelists
Doggy Memes & Videos
Recommended to 11.0% of All panelists
Air Fryer Tips and Recipes
Recommended to 10.4% of All panelists
1970s ✌ doyouremember.com
Recommended to 10.2% of All panelists
Good Ole Soul Food Recipes
Recommended to 9.7% of All panelists
Disapproving Corgis
Recommended to 8.4% of All panelists
Dad Jokes Everywhere
Recommended to 8.4% of All panelists
80s/90s/ Early 2000s Nostalgia Haven
Recommended to 7.3% of All panelists
Cheap Meal Ideas
Recommended to 7.0% of All panelists
Political group
Kayleigh McEnany Fan Club
Recommended to 7.0% of All panelists
Cast Iron Cooking
Recommended to 6.8% of All panelists
Doggo
Recommended to 6.7% of All panelists
Cheap Cars for Sale by Owner
Recommended to 6.6% of All panelists
The Far Side
Recommended to 6.5% of All panelists
Relationship Love Quotes
Recommended to 6.5% of All panelists
Political group
Candace Owens For POTUS, 2024
Recommended to 6.5% of All panelists
Dogspotting
Recommended to 6.5% of All panelists
Positive Quotes
Recommended to 6.3% of All panelists
Political group
Tucker Carlson Fox News
Recommended to 6.1% of All panelists
Instant Pot Recipes Only
Recommended to 5.9% of All panelists
Our Relationship Rules
Recommended to 5.9% of All panelists
Funny Christmas Memes!
Recommended to 5.8% of All panelists
Love Quotes
Recommended to 5.6% of All panelists
ALDI Aisle of Shame Community
Recommended to 5.6% of All panelists
Funny Huskies
Recommended to 5.5% of All panelists
So in Love
Recommended to 5.5% of All panelists
Cool Dog Group
Recommended to 5.4% of All panelists
Political group
Steve Schmidt fan club
Recommended to 5.3% of All panelists
Star Trek Memes
Recommended to 5.2% of All panelists
❤️Love Life ❤️
Recommended to 5.2% of All panelists
FreebieShark's Official Group
Recommended to 5.0% of All panelists
Relationship Goals 💗
Recommended to 4.9% of All panelists
Amazing World
Recommended to 4.8% of All panelists
TRUE LOVE STORY
Recommended to 4.7% of All panelists
Political group
Patriot Room (formerly Leo Terrell 2.0)
Recommended to 4.7% of All panelists
Rate My Dog
Recommended to 4.7% of All panelists
Dhar Mann Official FAN page- Asia/Middle East/Europe/Africa
Recommended to 4.7% of All panelists
Political group
Dr. Fauci Fan Club
Recommended to 4.7% of All panelists
Please show to Jim ! ! HA ! ! HA ! !
Recommended to 4.6% of All panelists
THIS CAT IS C H O N K Y
Recommended to 4.6% of All panelists
5-Minute Diy Arts & Crafts
Recommended to 4.5% of All panelists
Political group
Official Kayleigh McEnany page! No spam or trolls allowed this time!
Recommended to 4.5% of All panelists
Good Old Days
Recommended to 4.3% of All panelists
Calvin and Hobbes Ride Again
Recommended to 4.3% of All panelists
In The Kitchen With EmmyMade
Recommended to 4.3% of All panelists
Dogspotting Society
Recommended to 4.2% of All panelists
Extreme Love Group
Recommended to 4.1% of All panelists
Win The Win
Recommended to 4.1% of All panelists
Feisty Soul Tribe ~ The Group
Recommended to 4.1% of All panelists
Relationship quotes
Recommended to 4.1% of All panelists
Art, Crafts & DIY
Recommended to 4.1% of All panelists
DIY Farmhouse Vintage Shabby Chic (Original)
Recommended to 4.1% of All panelists
DEAR EX-BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND
Recommended to 4.0% of All panelists
Funny sarcastic grandma
Recommended to 4.0% of All panelists
RELATIONSHIP & DATING TIPS
Recommended to 4.0% of All panelists
Political group
Lincoln Project Americans Protecting Democracy
Recommended to 4.0% of All panelists
LAUGH WITH AUNTY ACID- MAXINE
Recommended to 4.0% of All panelists
Positive and Motivational Quotes about Everything
Recommended to 4.0% of All panelists
LOVE QUOTE AND UPDATE
Recommended to 3.9% of All panelists
Turner Classic Movies For Fans!
Recommended to 3.9% of All panelists
Moments of love
Recommended to 3.9% of All panelists
Relationship Memes
Recommended to 3.9% of All panelists
Relationship Advice
Recommended to 3.9% of All panelists
Primer & Rust, Rats & Rods
Recommended to 3.9% of All panelists
Love & Relationships
Recommended to 3.9% of All panelists
Love My Husband Quotes
Recommended to 3.8% of All panelists
Dogs and puppies for rehoming near me
Recommended to 3.8% of All panelists
💞🐶 Dachshund Love 🐶💞
Recommended to 3.8% of All panelists
Grand Larsony
Recommended to 3.8% of All panelists
Ibotta's Saver Community
Recommended to 3.6% of All panelists
Political group
Joe BIDEN POTUS 46 Official
Recommended to 3.6% of All panelists
Political group
Funny Trump Memes
Recommended to 3.6% of All panelists
Nail Maintenance for Dogs
Recommended to 3.6% of All panelists
Golden Retriever Club
Recommended to 3.5% of All panelists
Heartbroken Quotes
Recommended to 3.5% of All panelists
Chevy Trucks For Sale
Recommended to 3.4% of All panelists
Dog Missing / Pet Lost & Found Alert Group
Recommended to 3.4% of All panelists
Crockpot/Slow Cooker Recipes & Tips
Recommended to 3.4% of All panelists
Antique, Classic and Muscle Cars (For Sale Group)
Recommended to 3.4% of All panelists
Political group
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Recommended to 3.3% of All panelists
Only The Hilarious
Recommended to 3.3% of All panelists
The Hudson Valley in pictures
Recommended to 3.3% of All panelists
Husband and Wife love zone
Recommended to 3.3% of All panelists
Cars For Sale In Nj
Recommended to 3.3% of All panelists
Old Images of New York Group
Recommended to 3.2% of All panelists
Fun & Funny Christmas Memes
Recommended to 3.2% of All panelists
Slaton Sisters for All
Recommended to 3.2% of All panelists
Eastern Shore Boat and Marine Stuff
Recommended to 3.2% of All panelists
True Love Matters
Recommended to 3.1% of All panelists
A Group Where We Pretend its 2009-2012
Recommended to 3.1% of All panelists
Granny's Funnies and sarcasm the
Recommended to 3.1% of All panelists
Only Thai Food Recipes
Recommended to 3.1% of All panelists
Science Humor
Recommended to 3.1% of All panelists
Political group
Candace Owens 2024 🇺🇸
Recommended to 3.1% of All panelists
A post in the “Rudy Giuliani [Common Sense]” group, which was recommended to 8 percent of Trump voters in our panel, called for Georgia’s governor and secretary of state to be hanged because of their refusal to overturn election results.
That post was removed after The Markup contacted Facebook.
In another group, “Donald Trump Is Our President,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the target of a recent post. “Just wish they would have found her and marched her out of the building in handcuffs to citizen’s arrest,” a comment with 25 likes said. Facebook recommended the group to 19 of our panelists. The group is run by Ryan Fournier, co-chairman of the conservative group Turning Point Action.
The administrator of a group recommended to 19 percent of Trump voters in our panel posted an event called “#StormTheCapitol” on Dec. 30, 2020, telling the 58,000 members in “Candace Owens for POTUS, 2024” to show up in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6.
Owens did not respond to a request for comment.
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The administrator was later named among a group of Minnesotans who traveled to the D.C. rally. It is not clear if he went to the Capitol.
That group was among the three most frequently suggested political groups for our panelists who voted for Trump, along with “Tucker Carlson Fox News” and “Kayleigh McEnany Fan Club.” Each was recommended to one in five Trump voters on our panel.
Political groups were also suggested to our panelists who voted for Biden, albeit at a different rate—15 percent of the top recommended groups were political, but only two thirds were left-leaning. These political groups did not crack the top 10 most recommended groups.
The political group most frequently recommended to Biden voters on our panel was a fan page for Steve Schmidt, the Republican founder of the anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project. This page was the 13th most recommended group, with 8 percent of Biden voters receiving a suggestion they join.
Our 115 panelists who reported not voting in 2020 received no recommendations for political groups at all.
Most of the 97,443 groups recommended to our panelists were not political. The top recommended group for all panelists was for The Far Side comics, followed by groups for crafts, animals, relationships, cars, and recipes. (For the top 100 recommended groups, refer to our GitHub.)
Trump and Biden voters were recommended drastically different political groups
Groups by how frequently they were recommended to our panelists
Steve Schmidt fan club
55,000 Members
Recommended to 8.1% of Biden voters
Tucker Carlson Fox News
58,000 Members
Recommended to 19.9% of Trump voters
Dr. Fauci Fan Club
48,000 Members
Recommended to 7.2% of Biden voters
Candace Owens For POTUS, 2024
58,000 Members
Recommended to 19.1% of Trump voters
Lincoln Project Americans Protecting Democracy
33,000 Members
Recommended to 6.3% of Biden voters
Kayleigh McEnany Fan Club
432,000 Members
Recommended to 18.5% of Trump voters
Funny Trump Memes
5,900 Members
Recommended to 5.3% of Biden voters
Patriot Room (formerly Leo Terrell 2.0)
19,000 Members
Recommended to 15.9% of Trump voters
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
49,000 Members
Recommended to 5.2% of Biden voters
Official Kayleigh McEnany page! No spam or trolls allowed this time!
30,000 Members
Recommended to 13.6% of Trump voters
Facebook, when it announced it would halt political group recommendations, did not detail how it would classify groups as political. The platform has a mechanism that allows administrators to tag their own groups as “civic” or “political,” but except for the “Dan Crenshaw for POTUS 2024” group, the groups The Markup identified had not tagged themselves as political.
To determine whether or not a group recommended to our panelists was political, The Markup looked at the group’s name, its “about” page, and its rules; and for groups that were public or that accepted our request to join, we read through recent posts in the group’s “discussion” feed to assess whether the group mentions politicians, political commentators, movements, parties, or ideologies. In some cases, as with the “Ben Shapiro Fans” group, the group’s own rules instructed members to “not post content unrelated to Ben Shapiro or politics.”
When possible, we contacted administrators for all the groups mentioned in this story. Of those that responded, the Candace Owens for POTUS, 2024 and Steve Schmidt fan club groups told The Markup they consider their groups “political.” The Giuliani fan group’s administrator, Patricia Brackett, said in a Facebook voice message that her page was meant for Trump supporters.
“Politics, I wouldn’t say that because I’m not for either side,” she said. “I’m for a man who I know can change the future and do good for this country.”
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How We Built a Facebook Inspector
The Citizen Browser project seeks to illuminate the content Facebook elevates in its users’ feeds
There are limitations to some of our findings. Our group of Citizen Browser panelists is small compared to the millions of Facebook users in the United States. The group recommendations shown to the 508 Trump and 1,214 Biden voters in our panel are not necessarily representative of what such voters are experiencing in the larger world of Facebook. Our panel also skews older, more educated, and whiter than the general population, and we are particularly short on Trump voters and Latinos. (Read more about how we built the panel and the custom browser that panelists use to automatically send us Facebook data here.)
However, Facebook does not provide data on its group recommendations for users, and nobody has to date found a way to otherwise access that data. Through Citizen Browser, we’re able to provide a rare look into the groups Facebook chooses to broadcast to hundreds of people in the United States.
Among the top recommended political groups for Biden voters, most were rife with anti-Trump posts.
A member of “Joe BIDEN POTUS 46 Official” posted a meme aimed at belittling Trump voters as overweight, gun-toting trailer park residents. One comment on the post described the image as “One of 70 million other deplorable ignorant ungrateful loser [sic].”
Another meme, in the “Last Week Tonight” group for fans of the political commentary program, suggested that Trump voters were incestuous terrorists.
If Facebook and other social media companies are serious about meeting this moment, they will make systematic changes on their platforms.
Sen. Ed Markey
In one group that follows a conservative commentator, “Dr. Steve Turley Fans,” recommended to 18 Trump voter panelists, a member asked for advice on how to “stay positive and focused” if the events on Jan. 6 failed to change the election’s outcome.
The replies varied, from suggesting prayer to staying optimistic—but one was more sinister.
“At some point in time, it may come down to simple blood-shed,” a top reply said.
The original poster responded, “I know this and I feel like I was made for that moment which is thrilling and completely terrifying also.”
The group remains active, and the post was still up at press time.
Shown our findings, Sen. Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, called on Facebook to act.
“If Facebook and other social media companies are serious about meeting this moment, they will make systematic changes on their platforms to stop prioritizing user engagement and advertising dollars over the wellbeing of our society and democracy,” he said in a statement.
Jessica González, co-CEO of Free Press and lead organizer of several coalitions that seek to stop hate speech on digital platforms, said Facebook has a history of announcing improvements to its platform that later fall flat.
“Their policy looks good on its face but they’re narrowly interpreting that policy so it doesn’t apply when things really get hot,” González said.
It’s unclear how Facebook chooses which groups to recommend to any given user—but its suggestions are powerful.
Documents examined by the Wall Street Journal last May show Facebook’s internal research found 64 percent of new members in extremist groups joined because of the social network’s “Groups you should join” and “Discover” algorithms. Facebook declined to comment to the Wall Street Journal about how it addressed the issues with groups but told the outlet that it has improved policies since 2016.
In the past year, Facebook groups have been linked to deaths at a protest in Kenosha, Wis., and the growth of the QAnon conspiracy theory, as well as providing a recruiting ground for hate groups.
Our analysis showed that for our panelists, the political groups Facebook recommended did not necessarily have much to do with their social connections: Panelists who voted for Trump were only recommended to join a political group containing one of their friends 1.4 percent of the time—for Biden voters it was 2.4 percent of the time.
González said group recommendations are likely a symptom of Facebook’s data profiles, which the social network creates to help advertisers find their target audience.
“The use of personal data to target people who may be vulnerable to those kinds of messages is something that I think Congress needs to get at with data privacy legislation,” she said.
