Trump's executive order targets political bias at Twitter and Facebook: draft

[brooklynite]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to order a review of a law that has long protected Twitter, Facebook and Alphabet’s Google from being responsible for the material posted by their users, according to a draft executive order and a source familiar with the situation.

News of the order comes after Trump threatened to shut down websites he accused of stifling conservative voices following a dispute with Twitter after the company decided to tag Trump’s tweets about unsubstantiated claims of fraud in mail-in voting with a warning prompting readers to fact-check the posts.

The order, a draft copy of which was seen by Reuters, could change before it is finalized. On Wednesday, officials said Trump will sign an executive order on social media companies on Thursday.

...snip...

The executive order would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to propose and clarify regulations under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law largely exempting online platforms from legal liability for the material their users post. Such changes could expose tech companies to more lawsuits.



Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-twitter-trump-executive-order-social/trumps-executive-order-targets-political-bias-at-twitter-and-facebook-draft-idUSKBN2340MW

[MrModerate]

1. So, as usual, Trump's got nothing, and is going to try...

To whip up some phony PR stunt (an 'Executive Order') so he can pretend he's slapped Twitter around. So much losing.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Sounds like it could take down all right wing media as well.

Let's see if this bluster amounts to anything. More likely Trump will say 'we're studying it' and that's the last anyone will hear of it. So predictable and pathetic.

[cstanleytech]

18. There are a number of right-wing websites that would be hurt.

[elleng]

20. Right, as in 'what's good for the goose is good for the gander.'

[Roy Rolling]

3. Bring on the Discovery

Make them liable, let Trump go to court to prove he’s not what they say. Trump created a Frankenstein monster out of Facebook and Twitter, now he complains he’s the victim of the media coverage he creates.

[Hugin]

4. King Scat Midas strikes again...

Hitting what is arguably one of the few sectors ahead during a 'social distancing' event.

[machoneman]

5. "...unfair and deceptive acts." Ha! He's just indicted himself and just about every move....

Last edited Thu May 28, 2020, 09:18 AM - Edit history (1)

...he's ever made! Talk about a self-indicting statement.

Expect a fast slew of lawsuits from RW'ers before the election. Yet most will be tossed well before a trial or even a judge. They'd do so just to generate some press, exactly what Trumpenstein is doing here.

In fact, this may well boomerang badly for them. If say Twitter really clarifies hate speech, clearly wrong information, debunked conspiracy theories and other Winger bullshit, they may find even more, like a lot more, of their posts deleted entirely and even get themselves banned.

Nice way to shoot yourself in the foot, I say!

[sop]

6. The POS is following the example of Putin, MbS, Un, Xi, Castro, Hitler and others.

Trump wants to establish control or exert influence over independent press organs. How will his supporters spin this one?

[dubyadiprecession]

7. There are orphan's crying somewhere, not over their own predicament

...but over how sad trump is.

[beachbumbob]

8. Lets clean up libel/slander laws where inherent false statements made can be a subject of a lawsuit.

the best route would be for Twitter and other social media concerns to cancel and block users. NO "right" that forces a Twitter to allow an account for you

[George II]

9. If he wants to enforce the "Communications Decency Act", the first person they should ban is HIM!

[zanana1]

10. I don't think he can override the First Amendment.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. If they were legally liable for what's posted, then they'd have to ban him completely

as well as thousands of deplorables and bots. It's obvious that making them liable would get actual censorship, not the occasional removal of the worst material that now happens. His response to getting fact-checked is to force them to stop all kinds of speech they now carry.

[Shermann]

12. He got his ass moderated on a forum

...and mildly at that.

You're not going to be able to pass a law against moderating forums. Imagine the side-effects of that.

The alternative news media is just going to have to cobble together their own crappy version of Twitter, like they did with everything else.

[lagomorph777]

13. So...they are not biased ENOUGH for his taste? Falsebook and Twit may as well be Kayleigh MAGAninny

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. Kayleigh McEnemy . . . . nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

14. It's a committee that will issue distractions only as the election gets closer in time. . . . nt

[brer cat]

16. So the little man who lies and defames people on social media

wants to shut down any slight criticism of just himself. Tin pot dictator.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. "when creeping authoritarianism arrives not in jackboots but in a soiled diaper"

The announcement is the point

It’s so confusing when creeping authoritarianism arrives not in jackboots but in a soiled diaper. Maybe I’ll regret not being more alarmed by this, but my initial take is that Trump is putting on a show, much as House Republicans did when they held hearings on alleged Big Tech bias against conservatives.

That event featured clowns like Diamond and Silk whining about their alleged “shadow-banning” on Facebook, which turned out to be a misunderstanding of how settings affect content delivery. The FTC complaints report will likely provide a similar outlet for idiotic grievance-mongering.
...
Stock market manipulation is included in Trump’s extremely limited skill set. But the real point is the splashy announcement. It always is with Trump, from licensing deals for sketchy real estate development schemes to the commission investigating non-existent voter fraud to the Ukraine shakedown and the recent “Obamagate” meeping.

https://www.balloon-juice.com/2020/05/28/the-announcement-is-the-point/

[DallasNE]

19. Let's See If I Understand What Trump Is Saying

Trump seems to be saying that he wants to allow people to sue Twitter for what he says on Twitter.

[Brainfodder]

21. A known liar wants social media held accountable for lies on their platform?

We need an impartial panel of say 5 people to watch over HIS social media instead?



He is just a repugnant asshole, same shit different day?