Trump threatens to crack down on social media platforms

[CJD]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/politics/donald-trump-twitter-threat-regulate/index.html

Quote:Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to "strongly regulate" or even shut down social media platforms after Twitter applied a fact-check to two of his tweets this week.

Trump did not elaborate on what actions he could take. But the threat is Trump's clearest expression of intent to use the power of government to target his perceived political enemies in the private sector -- businesses that already enjoy wide latitude under the law to moderate their platforms as they see fit. And it raises the stakes for Twitter and Facebook as they grapple with Trump's misleading claims about mail-in voting and his baseless insinuations that a cable TV news host had a hand in an aide's death decades ago.

"Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen," Trump tweeted Wednesday. He went on to accuse the tech industry of trying to interfere in the 2016 election, before repeating an unfounded claim about voter fraud stemming from mail-in ballots.

"We can't let large scale Mail-In Ballots take root in our Country," Trump tweeted. "It would be a free for all on cheating, forgery and the theft of Ballots. Whoever cheated the most would win. Likewise, Social Media. Clean up your act, NOW!!!!"

Facebook and Twitter didn't immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Trump's Twitter outburst followed an unprecedented decision by the platform on Tuesday evening to apply a fact-checking label to Trump's content for the first time.

The label, which Twitter has designed to combat misinformation and unverified claims, linked to a curated page with links and summaries of articles describing how Trump's claims on mail-in ballots are unfounded.

Shortly after the labels were applied, Trump took to Twitter to claim the company "is interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election" and "stifling FREE SPEECH." He added that he "will not allow it to happen!"

But Twitter's fact-checking decision raised further questions about whether it would apply the same treatment to Trump's misleading claims about Lori Klausutis, the aide to former Rep. Joe Scarborough, a prominent critic of Trump. In recent days, Trump has leveled unsubstantiated allegations at Scarborough suggesting he was responsible for Klausutis's death. The claims have been undermined by the official autopsy, which found Klausutis had an undiagnosed heart condition. Klausutis's husband, Timothy Klausutis, reiterated that in a letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey last week, saying that Trump's claims denigrated the memory of his wife for perceived political gain.
Twitter has told CNN Business that it will not be removing the tweets about Scarborough.

Long-standing complaints from conservatives

Trump and conservatives have long complained that tech platforms algorithmically censor right-wing voices. The claims derive from a perception that Silicon Valley's largely left-leaning workforce has designed social media products to discriminate against conservatives, though the companies strongly deny the allegations.

Some executives, like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, have sought to accommodate conservative voices by meeting with them privately, and even meeting with Trump himself.

Trump has previously suggested that the US government could take action against media he dislikes. Last year, the White House set up a website to solicit complaints from the public about tech companies' perceived political bias, and Trump has called for an examination of NBC's television license, even though it does not have one.

Earlier this month, Trump tweeted: "The Radical Left is in total command & control of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google," and promised, without specifics, that his administration would "remedy this illegal situation." Following that tweet, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has considered establishing a White House commission to study allegations of conservative bias.

Privately, officials from the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission have expressed concerns about a prior proposal from the White House to appoint those agencies as direct regulators of political content on social media.

Meanwhile, major tech industry players remain under federal and state antitrust investigation. But antitrust probes tend to be highly technical and are usually limited to the impact of corporate conduct on competition in the marketplace.

This may be the most ironic story I've ever read.

[Benton]

Russia won't stand for him shutting down twitter, it would put hundreds of thousands of bots out of work.

[*Nately120*]

China has been beating us in regards to government control of private media and information and Trump isn't gonna stand for it.

I can't wait to see this tyrant come in second in the popular vote and win in a landslide yet again. Up yours, actual freedom!

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(05-27-2020, 10:25 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/politics/donald-trump-twitter-threat-regulate/index.html


This may be the most ironic story I've ever read.

Trump earned a Doctorate of Irony at Trump University class of '16 then paid himself as part of the settlement for ripping himself off.

[*Nately120*]

(05-27-2020, 11:23 AM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Trump earned a Doctorate of Irony at Trump University class of '16 then paid himself as part of the settlement for ripping himself off.

Just think, if Trump would have been allowed to buy the Buffalo Bills we would get to see message boards like this getting shut down for bring radically unfair to his brand. 

You guys like Joe Burrow? Let's talk about Josh Allen instead, you traitors.

[Belsnickel]

Don't want to get censored or labelled like this? Then don't ***** lie. Simple solution.

[*Nately120*]

(05-27-2020, 11:52 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Don't want to get censored or labelled like this? Then don't ***** lie. Simple solution.

Either that or flex your genius businessman muscles and start your own social media platform and put Twitter out of business by next week.  

Today we force Twitter to be pro Trump, tomorrow im being forced to make a gay wedding cake, and i don't even own a bakery. 

[GMDino]

What y'all don't understand is that Trump isn't "lying" he's "giving his opinion".  At least that is the best, rational defense I've seen from the "center".

[BmorePat87]

It's embarrassing when grown adults think social media sites regulating content is a violation of the 1st Amendment. There are no words to explain how sad it is when the president thinks it.

[*Nately120*]

(05-27-2020, 12:21 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: It's embarrassing when grown adults think social media sites regulating content is a violation of the 1st Amendment. There are no words to explain how sad it is when the president thinks it.

Im pretty sure he knows the 1st doesnt apply to this, but he's playing it up to his fan base who doesn't. He knows, but he is perpetuating a lie for his own gain. That's worse than blatant ignorance. 

The fact that being a freedom-hating tyrannical admitted liar polls so well with his fan base is the problem.

[GMDino]

Trump Campaign Manager:

"There are many reasons we pulled all our advertising from Twitter months ago, and clear political bias is one of them."#FactCheck: Twitter banned all political ads in 2019.

Even their response is a lie.

— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) May 27, 2020

 

[BmorePat87]

(05-27-2020, 02:47 PM)GMDino Wrote:

Trump Campaign Manager:

"There are many reasons we pulled all our advertising from Twitter months ago, and clear political bias is one of them."#FactCheck: Twitter banned all political ads in 2019.

Even their response is a lie.

— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) May 27, 2020

 

The Trump campaign trashed Twitter for banning ads last year in an official statement, said it silenced conservatives, and said Twitter would be losing billions in revenue.

The fact that they’re now pretending it was the other way around is hilarious

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(05-27-2020, 11:52 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Don't want to get censored or labelled like this? Then don't ***** lie. Simple solution.

But, Jefferson had slaves!

And Lincoln had a farmer's tan.

Do you like apples? Whatabout dem apples? Daily compulsive lying pales in comparison.

[*bfine32*]

(05-27-2020, 10:25 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/politics/donald-trump-twitter-threat-regulate/index.html


This may be the most ironic story I've ever read.

It's sorta like a crackhead wanting to shutdown crack. They know it's best for them, but they cannot help themselves. 

[samhain]

I, uh, don't think he can really do that. He may try, or more likely he'll do something symbolic and grandiose-sounding. In the end, any attempt to force a platform to favor him is going to get torn apart in any court worth a damn.

He gets mad a lot, and his tirades are certainly nothing new, but I feel like we've entered a whole new level of meltdown mode with the president. Even an objective observer would have to see his recent rows with Scarborough and the media platforms as misguided at best and moronically tasteless at worst. He's losing whatever shit he has left right now.

If what he's doing has a shred of strategy, then it's nothing more than an attempt to hurt social media companies' stock.

[*michaelsean*]

(05-28-2020, 04:23 AM)samhain Wrote: I, uh, don't think he can really do that.  He may try, or more likely he'll do something symbolic and grandiose-sounding.  In the end, any attempt to force a platform to favor him is going to get torn apart in any court worth a damn.  

He gets mad a lot, and his tirades are certainly nothing new, but I feel like we've entered a whole new level of meltdown mode with the president.  Even an objective observer would have to see his recent rows with Scarborough and the media platforms as misguided at best and moronically tasteless at worst.  He's losing whatever shit he has left right now.

If what he's doing has a shred of strategy, then it's nothing more than an attempt to hurt social media companies' stock.

I don't think it would get to a court.  I can't think of a mechanism he could use to have it shut down or threaten it.  He has as much authority as I do as far as that's concerned.  

[*Nately120*]

(05-28-2020, 12:07 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I don't think it would get to a court.  I can't think of a mechanism he could use to have it shut down or threaten it.  He has as much authority as I do as far as that's concerned.  

He's just blowing smoke and threatening to perform tyrannical actions because his freedom-loving supporters are hypocritical and stupid enough to love him for it. 

Neo Cons - We love freedom!
Trump - Do you want me to reduce freedom?
Neo Cons - YEAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!


At least liberals don't wave the flag and scream about freedom while they beg the government to take our giant sodas away. 

[NATI BENGALS]

Finally a ruler with complete power that us Americans can get behind, just like the constitution outlined.

[*Nately120*]

(05-28-2020, 12:41 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Finally a ruler with complete power that us Americans can get behind, just like the constitution outlined.

It's not tyranny if you agree with it. 

[GMDino]

If I’m reading this correctly, the EO claims tech platforms are doing something they’re not, in violation of an incorrect interpretation of law, and tasks agencies it can’t task to look into the things that aren’t being done that wouldn’t be wrong. Anything I missed, @Klonick? https://t.co/7daROPSRvd

— Tiffany C. Li (@tiffanycli) May 28, 2020

https://kateklonick.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/DRAFT-EO-Preventing-Online-Censorship.pdf