Facebook may join Twitter in “fact-checking” or otherwise blunting posts by President Donald Trump after company employees joined a liberal protest movement asking for Trump to be blocked or censored.
The controversy began when Trump posted a warning that read, in part, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
Liberals claimed the post constituted a violent threat and demanded it either be removed or Trump be blocked from Facebook entirely.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg refused, arguing the post did not constitute a threat, and it should be up to users to choose for themselves whether to read or follow Trump. Zuckerberg has been critical of Twitter for adding “fact check” links to Trump’s posts, arguing it shouldn’t be up to consumers to decide what to believe.
That changed quickly after a coordinated protest movement by employees threatening to quit unless Trump’s Facebook posts were similarly countered.
POLITICO reports:
In a lengthy Facebook post, Zuckerberg said he wanted to “acknowledge the real pain expressed by members of our community” over the company’s decision not to take any action on a Trump post that appeared to threaten protesters with violence. The move has sparked unrest at the tech behemoth, with scores of staffers publicly denouncing the decision and skipping work in protest.
In response, the tech mogul said Friday the company will be revisiting its policies against “threats of state use of force” and voter suppression efforts, as well as its current “binary” standard of either taking down or leaving up posts that may incite violence.
“We’re going to review potential options for handling violating or partially-violating content aside from the binary leave-it-up or take-it-down decisions,” he wrote. “I know many of you think we should have labeled the President’s posts in some way last week.”
Zuckerberg also plans to add more minority voices to review content and set company policies.
Trump responded to Twitter’s addition of “fact check” links to his posts by threatening to “repeal 230,” referring to Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act which protects websites from legal liability for content posted by third party users.
Supporters claim it would force “platforms” to be treated as “publishers,” making them legally liable for content. Section 230, however, makes no reference to “platforms” and mentions “publishers” in only one sentence, which makes it clear they are not legally liable for content posted by users.
Despite online commentary, any move to make website legally liable for content posted by users will run into stiff opposition on Capitol Hill and in the courts, as it would completely shut down social media and politically-oriented websites which, ironically, would give the mainstream media even more power.
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Michael Brigham
Michael Brigham has written for American Action News since the summer of 2019. His areas of expertise include foreign affairs, government, and politics, but regardless of the subject matter, he has a nose and an insatiable appetite for news. In his free time, he enjoys reading nonfiction, watching a mix of comedies and true crime documentaries, and spending time away from the swamp hiking in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
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FB does that to others which is why I left FB.
Leave Facebook, they censor, No uniform policy for about
Yet support BLM, Antifa, etc & we lose.
Big tech, liberal government = censorship on a scale we’ve never seen before. We may be leaving personal comments today, but if these monsters get the election they desire…you will never be heard again. They want to censor POTUS because he speaks truth to THEIR power. If they didn’t fear that, they would feel no need to go along with dimwit demands to silence opposition.
Facebook can die as far as I’m concerned. Along with anyone else who believes in censorship.
I quit facebook back in 2015 when they all but SMEARED Donald Trump for having the audacity to run against killary and eventually beating her arse. Never been on twitter, instagram or snapchat; social media is nothing but a mouthpiece for leftist/socialist/communist/marxist viewpoints, conservative viewpoints are usually BANNED! Great amount of disparity there!!! They can take and stick it……
You mean Dumbbook? Never used and never will. The same which Twitdick.
Liberal mob uprising?
No, lynch mob uprising.
Let’s understand what this section 230. Supporters claim it would force “platforms” to be treated as “publishers,” making them legally liable for content. Section 230, however, makes no reference to “platforms” and mentions “publishers” in only one sentence, which makes it clear they are not legally liable for content posted by users. This exemption is not afforded to Media, newspapers, or commentary or by pundits. Social Media was place for companies like social media which users are allowed to express first amendment free speech opinions. What Twitter and FB employees have threatened the organization is to be able to censor in accordance to their own political agendas meaning progressive far left liberal which then becomes commentary. They want to now maintain the right not to be sued while being able to do political commentary by censoring those inputs they do not want to appear by censoring them and providing commentary. What Trump correctly said is that if they want to be opinion oriented and be able to restrain comments they will lose this exemption and be treated exactly the same as every other non social media, media. People including Politicians can sue CNN, the NYT, or FOX for defamation since they are allowed commentary and editing by them. In essence it is as simple as these warriors working in social media want their cake and eat it too under the guise of fact checking and content control..
Facebook is a sack of Liberal crap, founded, managed and operated anarchist Socialists. What Trump posted is beneath the norm allowed by FB for Liberals. Trump neither implicitly nor explicitly suggested shooting by the government. It’s real simple but beyond the ignorant management and staff at Facebook to understand that “shooting does follow looting”. In the recent incidents there was plenty of shooting including by looters. The tragic killing of Captain Dorn is a prime example. FB will censor Trump because they can and Congress is happy to allow it.
These morons read between the lines and come out of their swamp with whatever interpretation they need to meet their political narrative.
One voice can become a majority if united, my response is to disassociate with FB for myself. Ideally an alternative without political agenda will evolve and attract advertisers.
I’ll go ahead and tell you exactly what the president was actually saying. Try coming to my house and I guarantee you the shooting will definitely start. That is exactly what he was saying it isn’t a threat from him. It’s a warning to those who would act foolish.
What he tweeted is exactly what has happened. After the looting started, David Dorn was shot and killed. After the looting started, the shooting started. I have yet to see a looter shot with anything other than water or rubber bullets or pepper spray. Dorn is dead.
We must stop the insanity even if we have to shoot looters and rioters. It has been done in the past and in a time of insurrection, it is legal and proper. We cannot allow rioters to run the streets of the United States smashing windows, stealing whatever is not nailed down, burning stores office buildings and homes, beating and/or killing people. (Not that these morons would understand that.) Anyone thinking that uncontrolled mass chaos is acceptable might need to locked up themselves. This is America. We have laws to protect the citizens and their property. No one has the right to deny the citizens of America any of their possessions or their lives without due process of law. Who do you expect to pay for the replacement of property destroyed by criminals. The Government (READ TAXPAYERS?) You certainly cannot bring the dead back to life and it may take years to recover from major injury. Do any of these Face Book employees plan on chipping in with the millions that would be required? I doubt it. And how would they react if it was their property destroyed or loved ones beaten or killed? If I owned, Face Book, workers demanding that I violate the Constitution rights of any subscriber would be shown the exit.
President Trump’s post concerning the protesters as a threat of violence, has protection of freedom of speech. How do the protesters justify the violence and damage they have actually committed against innocent civilians and business owners in their communities?
Grow up libturds. What a fine bunch of censors you are. Do you also burn books you don’t like?
Just remember. If someone can censor the President (regardless of who that President is) then they will be emboldened to censor others. And, if & when that “other” becomes you, & if you had never raised your voice to protest the censorship of others, why should you expect that someone will help you in your time of need?
You should be censoring the Liberals . Not the President of the United States. Get your head out of your A–
The controversy began when Trump posted a warning that read, in part, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
And President Trump wasn’t wrong, was he? Looting started and shooting started too.
Fbook is going to be a ghost town soon where only their leftist buddies will bore each other. Enjoy.
One of the reason I left FB! They are trying to force their political view point on us. They censor us, or ignore us. But they boldly print everything our enemies write. So I guess that makes “Old” Zuck an enemy, not a friend, or ally. He has yielded to Satan and now does whatever Satan tells him to do. Just another brainless zombie with more money than common sense or decency! But, he will answer to God someday soon, and will learn there is a price to pay for serving Satan. And his $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ BILLIONS $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ will not be enough. Christ stands up only for those who stand with him. At this time he does not!
Facebook is a complete waste of time. What possible significance would the complete fall of Facebook make. I recognize it is popular…..but it’s worthless in the scheme of daily life.