CfA's July 9, 2021 Newsletter

New from CfA:

• TTP Director Katie Paul in "Facebook Wants a Monopoly on Human Connection": Tech Transparency Project director Katie Paul was interviewed by America Magazine's John Miller about Facebook and its content moderation policies, highlighting how Facebook needs to take action against harmful content on its platform. (Article)
  • "'Facebook doesn’t want to address this because it’s a threat to their business model,' said Katie Paul, director of the Washington, D.C.-based Tech Transparency Project, a watchdog group. 'We’re talking about a trillion-dollar company not being held to the same standards as other companies.'"

• Blog Post: Critical Race Theory: A Manufactured Outrage: CfA's recent blog post discusses the ongoing controversy surrounding critical race theory, which ultimately stems from a deliberate effort to mobilize the term as a political weapon. (Blog Post)
  • "The recent uproar over critical race theory is nothing more than a political trick, and every second spent talking about critical race theory, and not about racism, is a win for those seeking to distract from the real issues at hand."

What We're Reading:

• Biden launches assault on monopolies: "The White House announced a sweeping executive order Friday to promote competition throughout the U.S. economy, in the most ambitious effort in generations to reduce the stranglehold of monopolies and concentrated markets in major industries." (Politico, July 9)

• Watchdog: Pompeo spent $65,000 on taxpayer-funded 'Madison Dinners:' "Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spent an estimated $65,000 on lavish, taxpayer-funded dinners at the State Department, according to documents released Wednesday by a government watchdog group. The so-called Madison Dinners held by Pompeo and his wife were defended by the Trump administration as an opportunity to discuss the mission of the State Department and U.S. foreign policy with an array of thought leaders from government, academia, business and the media. Yet the guest lists, first reported by NBC News last year, featured influential conservative media personalities and top GOP donors, raising questions of Pompeo’s political ambitions beyond the State Department." (The Hill, July 7)

• Rep. Mo Brooks says he can’t be sued for inciting Capitol riot because he is a federal employee: "Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) has asked to be dismissed from a federal lawsuit alleging that he incited the Jan. 6 mob assault on the U.S. Capitol, claiming that he can’t be held liable because he was acting as a federal employee while challenging the 2020 election results in a fiery speech just before the riot began." (The Washington Post, July 6)

Follow Our Work:

1. Follow CfA on Twitter and Facebook.
2. Follow the Tech Transparency Project on Twitter and Facebook.
3. Tell your friends and colleagues about CfA. 
4. Send us a tip. 
5. Make a tax-deductible donation.