In the US, control over social networks has been strengthened. On May 28, Donald Trump signed the corresponding decree. The new resolution provides for amendments to the Federal Law, which was created to protect IT companies. It states that they are protected from prosecution by judicial authorities and cannot be held liable for most of the content posted by users on social networks.
Big tech companies call this protection, known as Section 230 of the US Telecommunications Censorship Act, the backbone of the Internet. But the US president has repeatedly stated that such a section gives Facebook, Google and Twitter the right to censor conservatives. The companies themselves disagreed with these accusations. "We are gathered here today to ensure that free speech is protected from one of the most serious threats," Trump said before signing the document. The new decree states that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission of the USA) is obliged to amend the content of section 230. Today, complaints about political bias will be considered by it.
Earlier, the office of the US president asked her to check whether the policies of moderation published in social networks correspond to the promises of IT companies to maintain neutrality. The directive also includes a clause stating that federal agencies will have to make adjustments to social media advertising spending.
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Prerequisites
This reaction of Trump is due to the fact that Twitter marked two of his posts, referring to the fact that they contain inaccurate information. Subsequently, the president threatened social networks and Twitter to strengthen control over them.
The new decree: forecasts of experts
Industry experts say that such innovations may force the development of new rules and bans for IT companies accused of political bias. In addition, there is the following prediction: Trump's directive may have more extensive consequences and affect both social networks and sites, applications or services where users actively post and share their views.
US sources say that IT companies are already having heated discussions on whether to file a lawsuit challenging the new presidential decree. But they have not yet come to a unanimous opinion. Experts in certain areas of US law are sure that, most likely, the new decree will be challenged in court, as it may violate the first amendment to the US Constitution.
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Statement of companies
Company representatives commented on Trump's actions:
- Facebook spokeswoman Liz Bourgeois believes the company relies on free speech protections, and the amendments to Section 230 will backfire. Google also commented on this matter. Spokeswoman Riva Sciuto said that such restrictions could negatively affect the economic situation and the role that America plays in Internet freedom.
- Twitter noted that Trump's directive is nothing more than a "reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law." The company believes that Section 230 protects established innovation and freedom of expression and invokes the values of democracy. And the intentions to crush it pose a serious threat to the future of freedom of speech on the Internet.
Statement of the legislative body
Ron Wyden, a US senator, noted that the new directive is not supported by law in any way. He also said that the president signed a new executive order to intimidate big companies (Facebook, YouTube and Twitter). And the main purpose of intimidation is to force them to provide him with support. On May 28, Trump spoke in the Oval Office and once again hurled a mountain of accusations at the IT industry, citing the fact that it had accumulated "uncontrolled power."
William P. Barr, US Attorney General, also commented on the situation. He noted that the US Department of Justice is involved in the development of a new law to strengthen control over the IT sphere. Was the publication informative? Then share it on social networks. We remind you that you can buy a reliable VPS server and domain from the hosting company CityHost.
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