‘I love America’

To view a version of this email in a browser, [click here](. INC. THIS MORNING ‘I love America’ Good morning, I love America. Sure, my country comes up short sometimes, but I love it nonetheless. That’s what love is all about: faithful devotion, even despite disappointment. That phrase, "I Love America," is really powerful. The "I Love America" Facebook page had 1.1 million followers until Monday, when Facebook took it down following [an investigation by Popular Information]( a website and newsletter run by a journalist named Judd Legum. The reason: It was reportedly a Ukrainian political page run by people who may have never set foot in the U.S. Apparently, the 2016 playbook is back for 2020, despite Facebook claiming that it’s ready this time: - An innocuous page asking people to "like" cute dog and cat pictures gets a giant following. - Then, its content expands to include more patriotic and religious imagery. - People respond, and it turns into a political disinformation asset likely meant to sway public opinion. As Popular Information reported, the “I Love America” Facebook page was set up in 2017, and until Monday, had far more reach than major U.S. brands like USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and Buzzfeed News. Records showed that it was run by 10 people in Ukraine, one from Kazakhstan, one from France, and one from the U.S. U.S.-based pages are also at risk. A page called Vets for Trump was run by U.S. veterans who vehemently support the president until it was hijacked by "a North Macedonian businessman," [according to The Washington Post](. It reportedly took months for the legitimate owners to regain control. (Facebook didn't respond to my request for comment about all of this.) My point here isn't to praise or tear down the president. It’s that technology companies are playing an outsized role in organizing our conversations -- and if a U.S.-based company like Facebook can't can't protect U.S. voters from foreign manipulation, you have to wonder how it handles other vital functions like protecting your business and customers. "If you were thinking that Facebook had taken significant steps to root out disinformation, this is a little bit concerning," Legum told me on Tuesday. "You'd think they were paying attention to the big pages. ... My takeaway: I don't know. I'm not inside the company. But it doesn't seem they're doing as much as you think." SPONSORED CONTENT [People Who Retire Comfortably Avoid These 7 Financial Advisor Mistakes]( Choosing a financial advisor is a major life decision that can determine your financial trajectory for years to come. These are seven common but costly mistakes [that happy retirees avoid](. HERE'S WHAT ELSE I'M READING TODAY: WeWork’s Adam Neumann [will step down as CEO](. --The Wall Street Journal Related: WeWork is now considering [laying off a third of its workforce](. --The Information (subscription required) [Google contractors voted to join a union.]( --CNET Starting January 1, [if you make more than $684 a week]( you might be eligible for overtime. --Inc. [Amazon has launched a health clinic]( for its Seattle-based employees. --CNBC The Trump administration is [threatening to withhold highway funding]( from the state of California. --The Washington Post Six Google hacks that will [turn you into an internet detective](. --The New York Times [Meet the 10 fastest-growing companies]( in San Jose, California, the “true heart of Silicon Valley.” --Inc. --Bill Murphy Jr. Contributing Editor, Inc.com Story ideas and feedback actively solicited. Find me at [billmurphyjr@inc.com](mailto:billmurphyjr@inc.com?subject=), or on [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Click here]( to forward to a friend. This email was sent by: Mansueto Ventures 7 World Trade Center, 29th Floor New York, NY, 10007, [Unsubscribe]( • [Update Profile]( • [View in Browser]( • [Forward to a Friend](