White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is no stranger to controversy from her statements made from the briefing room podium, and her latest comments about social media censorship are deeply disturbing.
Psaki explained how the White House wants to combat misinformation regarding the coronavirus and the vaccine on major social media platforms.
“A couple of the steps that could be constructive for the public health of the country are for Facebook or other platforms to measure and publicly share the impact of misinformation on their platform and the audience it’s reaching,” Psaki began.
“Also with the public, with all of you to create robust enforcement strategies that bridge their properties and provide transparency about rules. You shouldn’t be banned from one platform and not others for providing misinformation,” she added.
Jen Psaki just suggested that people spreading misinformation be banned from other/all platforms if they’re banned from one. pic.twitter.com/SlNXJTXi0I
— jordan (@JordanUhl) July 16, 2021
Yes — the official spokesperson for the White House believes that being banned from social media should be a one-and-done process.
Needless to say, free speech advocates are not letting her off the hook.
“Seriously, who the f*** is the White House to be dictating who should and should not be banned from social media platforms, to keep lists of who they think are the spreaders of “misinformation,” and then pressure companies they regulate to obey? This is pernicious shit,” liberal journalist Glenn Greenwald tweeted.
Seriously, who the fuck is the White House to be dictating who should and should not be banned from social media platforms, to keep lists of who they think are the spreaders of “misinformation,” and then pressure companies they regulate to obey? This is pernicious shit: https://t.co/WlZlbCjlqT
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 16, 2021
Eric Weinstein, the managing director at Thiel Capital, pointed out how the government strictly controlling the flow of information is a core tenet of fascism.
To bundle the competing communications platforms together in order to suppress dangerous ideas that go in the face of government narrative? I mean, what could possibly go wrong! Historical examples?
This reminds me…”Bundle” in Italian.
Come si dice “bundle” in Italiano?#fascio https://t.co/46guxHgXiY
— Eric Weinstein (@EricRWeinstein) July 16, 2021
Hey, guys — you know all the “fascism in the White House” progressives have been talking about for years?
I found it! https://t.co/eBnuJxaJ2X
— ConservativeNotCrazy (@IAMMGraham) July 16, 2021
Social media is one of the most important tools for receiving information and spreading ideas in the 21st Century.
In an age where it is hard to even define misinformation, the White House is playing with fire by suggesting blanket bans to Big Tech companies.
Especially when Big Tech companies are mainly staffed by the young bucks of left-leaning Silicon Valley, this probably would not be met with much hesitation.
While there are limitations to the First Amendment, and social media companies have terms of use, it would be an unprecedented and dangerous overreach of power to essentially erase someone’s online presence.
Psaki must apologize for these remarks, as the language threatens one of the most fundamental principles of a free country.
Story cited here.
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