Hillsdale College challenges Facebook over warning on course page

Hillsdale College, a conservative institution in Michigan, faced significant issues with Facebook after launching a course critical of communism and Marxism. On August 19, the college's online courses page was shut down on the same day the course was introduced, which the college claims hindered its outreach and enrollment. The college reported that Facebook issued a warning to users searching for its online courses, suggesting they might be looking for terms associated with drug dealers, which the college found absurd and damaging to its reputation. Meta, Facebook's parent company, attributed the page's shutdown to an error related to ads that had been running for over a year without issue. Hillsdale College argued that the timing of the page's removal was suspicious, especially as it coincided with the launch of a course addressing repressive ideologies. The college expressed frustration over the perceived censorship, stating that it denied access to important educational content. In a statement, Meta acknowledged the error and claimed that the page was restored shortly after the incident. However, Hillsdale College maintained that the disruption significantly impacted their course's visibility and enrollment potential. The college's leadership criticized the social media platform for its handling of the situation, suggesting a pattern of bias against conservative viewpoints. This incident highlights ongoing tensions between conservative institutions and social media platforms, raising questions about free speech and the role of these platforms in moderating content. Hillsdale College's experience reflects broader concerns regarding the treatment of conservative perspectives in the digital space.