NEW: Why are right-wing FB pages so popular?

A Facebook exec argues the msg is just more visceral: "Right wing populism is always more engaging...Nation, protection, the other, anger, fear. That was there in the 30s. That's not invented by social media" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/26/facebook-conservatives-2020-421146
The Biden campaign blasted Facebook for this explanation.
@BillR "Facebook's platform is a mirror alright — a fun house mirror. One that has twisted and distorted our world and our politics...It is a choice to create an algorithm that feeds the distrust and polarization..."
The FB exec said the left's frustration is also social media reflecting a dynamic rather than creating it
"All center-left campaigners & politicians always ask themselves, ‘Why can't [we] seem to rile their supporters as much as right-wing populists have?’”
full quote
FB points out that engagement ≠ impressions and argues this is a small fraction of what ppl see (they say they're working on making that data public).
But on engagement, FB is dominated by right-wing voices outside the mainstream: Dan Bongino, David Harris Jr., Blue Live Matter
. @The_DailyWire is at the top.
It was the most engaged w/ news site on all of Facebook in July and August.
@benshapiro's page is also dominant.
In the past 90 days, it has 175 million engagements compared to just 27 million for The New York Times per @crowdtangle
When liberals complain about FB/2016, conservatives often counter that Dems didn't have any problems w/ the company in 2012 w/ Obama's ppl

Facebook would "sigh and say, ‘You can do this as long as you stop doing it on Nov. 7,’” an Obama official told the NYT in 2013.
some people pointed out the that "1930's" quote wasn't in the piece. That was just a late night back-and-forth edits slip-up. It is back in the story now.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/26/facebook-conservatives-2020-421146
Former Facebook employee who was an embed for the Trump 2016 campaign and working for the Dems this cycle -> https://twitter.com/jimmyeatcarbs/status/1309893105840201728?s=20
another bit on this.
There are two partisan battles on Facebook right now. This article is about organic content/earned social media.
But the paid media battle is also fierce/pricey
Trump camp has spent over $109 million on FB ads since 2018
Biden over $64 million
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