(RightWing.org) – Tech giants like Twitter and Facebook have gone largely unchecked ever since internet use exploded and many social media companies have a bad reputation for undue censorship. The straw that broke the camel’s back was placed earlier this week when Twitter decided to flag some of President Donald Trump’s tweets with fact-check notifications.
#BREAKING: President Trump signs executive order strip liability protection from companies that censure content: "Companies that engage in censoring or any political conduct will not be able to keep their liability shield." https://t.co/D5ooUw1fNz pic.twitter.com/FHs7kUvJH1
— The Hill (@thehill) May 28, 2020
On Thursday, President Trump stepped in with an executive order.
This executive order fundamentally challenges Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 that currently functions as the backbone of the internet. Section 230 grants tech companies a wide range of protections, some of which the president argues have been abused.
The order could allow federal regulators to write new rules and punishments to companies exhibiting political bias. It also creates a council with state attorneys general to investigate allegations of political bias while federal agencies review social media advertising spending.
Trump’s order will almost certainly be challenged in court by the social media giants claiming the order undermines the First Amendment. We’ll keep you updated as this monumental situation unfolds.
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