This past November, Bethany Mandel took a close look at what’s “deeply wrong and deeply sinister in a lot of children’s publishing.”
🧵 There’s something deeply wrong and deeply sinister in a lot of children’s publishing. Because I write about the intersection of politics and parenting, folks send me stuff they see at school fairs and at the library. Here’s a sample:
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) November 11, 2021
But as discouraging as that may be, Mandel also offered a glimpse at an alternative: Heroes of Liberty.
Some mutual contacts put me in touch with the folks running @HeroesOfLiberty this summer. Initially I was like nope, pass, I don’t need to be involved with third-rate right wing propaganda. But then, I looked at the books. And they’re different.
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) November 11, 2021
I’m really excited to be part of this disruption in the children’s book world. We desperately need to provide our kids with GOOD BOOKS that teach them what we want them to learn.
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) November 11, 2021
Evidently, Facebook disagrees with Mandel that children need to learn about important figures from a less progressive perspective:
Thread: My new children's book publishing company, @HeroesOfLiberty, was dealt a real blow going into the New Year, when we were banned by Facebook. We’re a new literary start-up that publishes quality illustrated biographies of great Americans. https://t.co/V4tTEfQbAC
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
Our books are designed to inspire children. We invested much of our seed capital in building our brand on Facebook. But Facebook has now shut down our advertising account. The official reason? “Disruptive Content.” pic.twitter.com/7i0hBBL3kd
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
Work began work on the books in the summer of 2019. We opened shop on November 9th, and officially launched on November 14th.
Long before our official launch–back in July–we started investing considerable resources into building our brand on Facebook.
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
This is an example of one of our ads: pic.twitter.com/S8qO7Fxsx8
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
We had a number of negative comments on the posts and we think they reported our content. They were triggered by a children's book that portrays Ronald Reagan as a hero. But this was not their decision. It was Facebook’s decision, they went along with them it seems. pic.twitter.com/KbCWWJ8Smh
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
When Facebook shut down our account, we lost all the data that we carefully gathered for the last six months.
We can't communicate with the audience that we built. Our ad account is permanently disabled. The consequences to our business could be devastating.
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
Hi Bethany: When you say "banned", do you mean banned from advertising? Are you still able to operate the Facebook page for Heroes of Liberty? or have they cut you off?
— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) January 3, 2022
Banned from advertising and locked out of our account.
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
But don’t think for a second that Facebook won’t find a way to capitalize on this.
Thread: @Facebook will take money from conservative publishers but then refuse to deliver the promised advertising https://t.co/Lbc9oRCjRZ
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 3, 2022
You’d better believe that Facebook will take money. They’re not going to cast aside conservative publishers without milking them for every last dime first:
Facebook is currently running ads on this story…. https://t.co/16iaxLbrrT pic.twitter.com/hkVeaPwFpO
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 3, 2022
Disgusting.
I'm old enough to remember when Facebook had "disrupt" in its motto https://t.co/LXaQzJxsFd
— Rabbi Josh Yuter (@JYuter) January 3, 2022
So much for that.
This is incredible and incredibly dangerous. https://t.co/4zglDs20rP
— if your sign says science is real, you are a moron (@joshtpa) January 3, 2022
This type of censorship is going to cause incredible damage to our society. https://t.co/usp6cvVryo
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) January 3, 2022
This is just wrong. https://t.co/xTWNNuGNJz
— Justin Hart (@justin_hart) January 3, 2022
This is INSANE. https://t.co/ndlzRcWfpz
— Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) January 3, 2022
This isn't just an outrage. It is more proof of the malevolent influence of Big Tech & its bias. If patriotism is "disruptive content" in the view of the owners of the information superhighway, that is the real threat to democracy. https://t.co/oP97Qp31I3
— Jonathan S. Tobin (@jonathans_tobin) January 3, 2022
This is completely insane—and you don't have to personally be a fan of the figures the books profile to think so. https://t.co/gk5eDjnrZU
— Berny Belvedere (@bernybelvedere) January 3, 2022
Any true free speech advocate should be up in arms over this.
👇🏼👇🏼Read this thread. 1. Learn about great new children’s books from @HeroesOfLiberty 2. Resist FB locking their account for supposed “disruptive content”🙄 3. Stand up for 1A https://t.co/DInHeNIjDr
— Lori Smith (@Lori_A_Smith) January 3, 2022
Wowza. That is next-level insanity. So sorry. Going to buy these books now in support.
— Kerry Troup (@kerryktroup) January 3, 2022
Just subscribed. Good luck, and I hope you get tons and tons of new subscribers.
— Kerry Troup (@kerryktroup) January 3, 2022
For what it’s worth, Mandel and Heroes of Liberty aren’t giving up the fight. If anything, Facebook’s efforts to clamp down have only inspired them to try even harder to make their voices heard.
What's next?
In 2022, we will continue building a wholesome alternative to contemporary woke children's literature. This month, we are launching a subscription program to send our books directly to American families. pic.twitter.com/bgQMwldtc2— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
Starting with this model will allow us to create ongoing relationships with American families who are looking for the best for their children without the mediation of unreliable institutions like Big Tech.
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
In February, March, and April, we will publish the new breathtaking biographies of John Wayne, Alexander Hamilton, and Margaret Thatcher.
Help us disrupt the children's book publishing world. Buy some books and spread the word.https://t.co/XA4o9ggjES
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 3, 2022
OK, folks. You know what to do.