As reported by Bloomberg, the order is in the beginning stages of being drafted and still has to be vetted by additional government agencies. However, judging by the president’s regular criticisms of the Big Tech firms’ bans and censoring of pro-Trump media and other voices, it’s highly likely he’ll sign the order.
According to Bloomberg, the order instructs federal antitrust officials to “thoroughly investigate whether any online platform has acted in violation of antitrust laws.”
In addition, the order requires federal antitrust authorities to make recommendations within a month of signing that “protect competition among online platforms and address online platform bias.”
The draft EO does not name specific social media platforms. However, there have been several reports, mostly in conservative media, of how Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, and others have been banning most pro-GOP, pro-Trump voices or dramatically reducing referral traffic to their websites via changes to platform algorithms.
The order also represents a shift by POTUS Trump from simply criticizing the platforms to taking action against them.
In addition, the order informs federal agencies that any action they take must be “consistent with other laws,” indicating that there are concerns within the administration to take care not to violate the First Amendment, which prohibits government control over the media and over political thought and opinion.
“Because of their critical role in American society, it is essential that American citizens are protected from anticompetitive acts by dominant online platforms,” the order states, according to Bloomberg.
The order also specifies that harm to consumers, which is a principal measure in an antitrust investigation, could occur “through the exercise of bias” – especially if conservative media have spent money advertising their sites, as many have, only to see their referral traffic crater.
Social media censorship is no myth, it’s real
In July, POTUS Trump and Republicans really ramped up their criticism of social media censorship, with the president pledging to investigate.
“Twitter “SHADOW BANNING” prominent Republicans. Not good. We will look into this discriminatory and illegal practice at once! Many complaints,” he tweeted.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1022447980408983552
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., also promised a congressional effort to investigate Silicon Valley censorship.
“Social media is being rigged to censor conservatives. It’s time to rise up and demand accountability from Big Tech,” he wrote (on Twitter!). “WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED.”
https://twitter.com/GOPLeader/status/1022288139560345601
“Social Media is totally discriminating against Republican/Conservative voices,” POTUS wrote on Twitter last month. “Speaking loudly and clearly for the Trump Administration, we won’t let that happen. They are closing down the opinions of many people on the RIGHT, while at the same time doing nothing to others.”
There is additional evidence that the social media behemoths have been purposely censoring or banning conservative, pro-Trump voices.
NewsTarget reported earlier this month that Google officials conspired ahead of the 2016 election to help Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, according to an uncovered chain of emails.
Also, a Democratic senator, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, declared on Twitter in August that the only way to protect our democracy is for the social media giants to engage in more censorship and banning of conservative voices.
Several right-leaning websites have been severely impacted, financially, from Facebook, Twitter, and Google censorship. The data prove it. There have been enough studies now to validate the allegations.
It’s high time the federal government took some sort of action to prevent Big Tech from selectively choosing which views and opinions Americans are “allowed” to see. Thanks to POTUS Trump, that time will soon come.
Read more about the social media giants’ blatant censorship at Censorship.news.
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