For ads-free news, click here.
From Breitbart: Republican FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak published a statement on Thursday expressing concern with Big Tech facilitating content harmful to children, but also warning that the Biden-Harris FTC could take actions that result in the censorship of Americans’ online speech.
“How social media companies view and treat users increasingly shapes civic discourse and determines the extent of Americans’ freedoms to participate in the modern public square,” Holyoak said.
In 2020, during the Trump administration, the FTC issued orders to nine tech companies — Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, WhatsApp, Snap, Discord, Reddit, Twitter, and Amazon — seeking to examine their data practices and how they operate.
Some of the key findings in the FTC report include revelations that “Companies’ deletion practices varied and may not reflect what consumers expect.” That is, while some companies claim to delete data, they don’t actually follow through with it.
The FTC report also noted concerns about data posted by users under age 13, whether user data is exposed to foreign governments, and the automated programs utilized to drive users’ experiences on social media.
In a statement published Thursday, Holyaok warned, “Some of the report’s analysis and recommendations may lead to more censorship or inadvertent suppression of certain content. Other federal officials have shown no qualms about directly pressuring social media companies to suppress content online.”
While agreeing that she is “deeply sympathetic” to the report where it “relates to protecting children and teens online or to clearly harmful content,” such as “promoting self-harm,” Holyoak said she is deeply concerned about the potential for online censorship.
In a social media statement, Holyoak wrote:
This week I voted to publish a staff report that concludes an investigation the Trump FTC began. It reflects information from some of the largest social media companies. How these companies treat users shapes civic discourse and Americans’ freedoms in the modern public square.
Social media products are having radical effects in other ways, too—including on our children and teens. Protecting our kids in this sphere is critical.
But unelected officials at the Commission should not use a guidance document to dictate how these companies act, especially when it will likely suppress free speech online. My statement here: https://ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/commissioner-holyoak-statement-social-media-6b.pdf
This week I voted to publish a staff report that concludes an investigation the Trump FTC began. It reflects information from some of the largest social media companies. How these companies treat users shapes civic discourse and Americans’ freedoms in the modern public square.
— Melissa Holyoak (@MHolyoakFTC) September 19, 2024
But unelected officials at the Commission should not use a guidance document to dictate how these companies act, especially when it will likely suppress free speech online. My statement here: https://t.co/oSbFtP053f
— Melissa Holyoak (@MHolyoakFTC) September 19, 2024
Where does Kamala Harris stand on free speech issues? WATCH the following disturbing clip from a May 5, 2019 speech to the NAACP in Detroit:
Harris vows to “double the civil rights division, direct law enforcement to counter the ‘extremism,’ hold social media platforms accountable for the ‘hate’ infiltrating their platforms because they have a platform to help fight against this threat to our democracy.”
“If you act as a megaphone for misinformation… if you don’t police your platform, we are going to hold you accountable,” she raged.
6/🧵 – At a time where millions of Americans are concerned about free speech, where does Kamala Harris stand??
She thinks it’s justified to censor speech over their political definitions of “hate” and “misinformation”
HARRIS: “We will go after Social Media companies”
via… pic.twitter.com/Q22itL04cv
— Craig Chamberlin (@CraigChamberlin) September 5, 2024
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.
