My friend,
It has become increasingly clear that the absence of federal regulation of social media networks is a grave threat to our democracy. It’s long past time for our government to step in and make the tough changes that these companies resist at every turn.
Lies that threaten the security of our elections run unchecked online and are having a clear and stark effect on results at the ballot box. Peoples’ lives are at risk due to a whole host of misinformation campaigns being run by extremists across the country. Our elected officials cannot afford to wait for these companies to take action themselves.
This month, investigative newsletter Popular Information published an in-depth report on the thousands of fake news sites that touted false or misleading information during the recent gubernatorial election in Virginia and likely skewed the results in favor of Trump shill Glenn Youngkin.[1]
Last month, whistleblower Frances Haugen testified on Facebook’s clear prioritization of its own interests despite being aware of the damage it was causing to individuals, our democracy, and our global society.[2] Her scathing testimony made it clear that we cannot trust these companies to act for the good of others.
We need Congress to insist on the implementation of thorough safeguards that significantly address the disinformation, misinformation, and violent rhetoric that is putting the very foundation of our democracy at risk.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media companies from Facebook to Twitter to TikTok have made small tweaks to their systems in response to public outcry about their lax information policies – but these tweaks are far, far from enough. We can’t trust them to do it on their own, so we need Congress to step up and do what we elected them to do: protect us and defend our democracy.
In unity,
– Sarah, Digital Campaigns Associate
[1] “Right-wing operatives deploy massive network of fake local news sites to weaponize CRT.” (Popular Information, 11/8/2021.)
[2] “Here are 4 key points from the Facebook whistleblower's testimony on Capitol Hill” (NPR, 10/5/2021.)
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