McConnell criticizes Twitter’s political ad ban

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday argued that Twitter’s recent decision to ban all political ads meant the platform was “picking winners and losers.”

“Twitter’s leadership has tried to produce a rationale for banishing paid political speech, but the argument boils down to the same misunderstanding that has been used to undermine free speech for decades,” McConnell said from the Senate floor.

Twitter announced late last month that it was banning all political ads, earning the social media company praise from Democrats and quick backlash from conservatives.

Twitter’s policy, which the company will officially unveil in mid-November, will ban ads that refer to an election or candidate, and those that “advocate for or against legislative issues of national importance,” according to the company.

McConnell argued the move should spark a broader debate about what qualifies as political advocacy on social media.