With the resumption of free speech rights on Twitter, the left has grown afraid that its grip on social media may be weakening. Now, some of Congress’ most fervent censors are openly asking Facebook not to follow Twitter in restoring free expression to its platform.
Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., André Carson, D-Ind., Kathy Castor, D-Fla., and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. sent a terrifying letter to Facebook warning that weakening its iconic censoring system may bring legislative action. The letter is written on congressional stationery and sent to Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, “as part of our ongoing oversight activities.”
They want Facebook to widen its censorship generally since “unlike other major social media platforms, Meta’s standards do not restrict postings that make unfounded accusations about voting fraud,” in addition to retaining its prohibitions on personalities like former President Donald Trump.
Clegg is given Schiff’s phone number in order to discuss Facebook’s compliance – an odd contact point for a letter on “disinformation.” After all, Schiff was one of the members of Congress who pushed the erroneous allegation that the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian misinformation prior to the 2020 presidential election, and he has been chastised for pushing misleading narratives about Trump-Russia connection in the 2016 election, according to Fox News.
Democrats are anxious that the revelation of the Twitter information may cause Facebook and other social media companies to “backslide” on free speech as they face declining earnings and layoffs. Surprisingly, these congressional Democrats clearly urge assurances that layoffs would not reduce the number of staff dedicated to social media regulation.
Do Democrats really believe that when a firm faces layoffs, they would choose to maintain the ‘hall monitor’ over the man who keeps things running? Obviously, yes. What’s frightening is that it stands to reason that Facebook will just accept it.