Facebook has reportedly contributed $120,000 to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this week, according to a report by the Daily Beast.
“Facebook’s contribution is worth more than $120,000, according to our sources,” the Daily Beast reported on Tuesday. “Half of that is cash, and the other half is in-kind support for CPAC’s operations. Facebook will have a space at the conference for attendees to film Facebook Live videos, and will also train people on best practices for using the social network and Instagram.”
Chairman of the American Conservative Union Matt Schlapp, who hosts CPAC, praised Facebook’s involvement with the conference.
“We are glad Facebook agreed to be at CPAC and to acknowledge the importance of conservatives to their company, and we continue to work with them on issues important to conservatives,” he declared.
Facebook, meanwhile, defended their contribution, citing their involvement in a wide range of events “across the political spectrum.”
“Facebook participates in events hosted by organizations across the political spectrum. Our presence allows us to facilitate an open dialogue where people can share their views and create content to engage their audiences, just as we did during other political events such as the Republican and Democratic Party conventions,” explained a Facebook spokesman. “Our involvement is not an endorsement of any particular position or platform.”
During CPAC, Facebook will hold numerous workshops, while an event on how attendees can “better reach and connect with voters on Facebook” will also be held at the conference on Wednesday.
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington or like his page at Facebook.