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Friend,
A year ago we sent you this message:
“A mob incited by the sitting president of the United States attacked the Capitol to try to subvert the results of a democratic election.”
Thinking back to that day and the way things unfolded is a surreal experience. And at the same time, the insurrection was yet another example of what advocates and activists have been warning against for years.
Let’s break down what’s happened — and hasn’t happened — since Jan. 6, 2021.
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What we said then: We call again on all social-media platforms to permanently take down Trump for his countless violations and unquestionable danger to our democracy
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What happened: In the week that followed the insurrection at the Capitol, Twitter permanently suspended Donald Trump and removed the accounts of over 3,000 white supremacists. Facebook banned Trump indefinitely — with nearly a dozen other platforms either suspending or restricting Trump from spreading lies and hate. But even with ongoing individual suspensions — like Twitter’s recent ban on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — deplatforming is a piecemeal approach.
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What needs to happen now: Social-media platforms can’t continue arbitrarily applying their policies to users. In addition to adopting the demands of the Change the Terms coalition, which Free Press helps lead, we need companies to enforce their rules equally across languages and put in place immediate measures to protect election integrity. And we need decisive action from regulators and legislators to protect democracy and the public interest.
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What we said then: We must also confront the role that broadcast and cable TV have played in fomenting hate and disinformation.
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What happened: Cumulus Radio issued guidance to all of its 445 stations in 90 markets, calling on them to stop suggesting that the election was stolen. Free Press worked with newsrooms in multiple states to push them to confront systemic racism in their operations and take steps toward accountability. 25 members of Congress signed a letter calling on the FCC to conduct a racial-equity audit. And a major exposé revealed that without the support of AT&T, the right-wing One America News Network (OANN) wouldn’t even exist.
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What needs to happen now: This is progress, but it’s not enough. We need to get resources to local journalists and community newsrooms. We need to keep pressure on companies like Fox News, Sinclair, Newsmax and OANN and refuse to let their dangerous propaganda pass for journalism. And all newsrooms need to reckon with their own histories and commit to an antiracist future.
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What we said then: All of this has been allowed to happen due to government policies that have given a few powerful companies control of the media while ensuring racism remains a central part of the system’s DNA.
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What happened: Not nearly enough. A global pandemic, a contested election and a bitterly divided Congress stalled progress on a lot of fronts in the last year. But there’s a critical window of opportunity ahead in 2022.
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What needs to happen now: We need to reckon with how government policies have created a racist media system that threatens our democracy. Free Press Action is ready to hit the ground running in 2022. We plan to:
- Pass bold legislation that will protect data privacy and limit the ability of social-media platforms to erode our society and democracy.
- Enact new regulations at the FCC and FTC to ensure that the internet works for people and not just corporations.
- Build power with communities and newsrooms to get real, lasting investments in local news.
- Pressure the FCC to launch an investigation into how the agency’s own policies have perpetuated systemic racism in the United States.
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There’s a lot of work ahead of us in 2022 and we know that grave challenges lie ahead in terms of the pandemic, voting rights and the climate crisis, among other pressing issues. Addressing the crises facing our media and technology systems is essential to protecting public health, preventing the destruction of democracy and addressing the future of our planet.
Thank you for being in the fight with us. More soon.
Candace, Lucia, Dutch and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net
P.S. To support our work in 2022, please make a one-time or monthly donation. We don’t take money from business, government or political parties — we need support from principled people like YOU to make these dreams realities. 
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