Twitter’s Toxic Ripple Effect
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** CfA's December 9, 2022 Newsletter
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Thank you for your continued support of Campaign for Accountability. We're dedicated to continue working to hold the powerful accountable.
** This Week's Updates:
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Elon Musk’s Twitter Will Create a Toxic Ripple Effect Across Social Media: Katie Paul, director of CfA's Tech Transparency Project (TTP), published an op-ed ([link removed]) in Fast Company that explains how Twitter's sudden shift could impact other social media platforms.
Prenatal Testing Company Faces Scrutiny: On Monday, ProPublica released an in-depth story ([link removed]) about the prenatal testing company Natera, which operates without federal oversight and has been accused of misleading parents about the accuracy of its results. Natera first attracted CfA's attention back in January, when it was revealed that some of the company's tests had an 85% false positivity rate ([link removed]) . In response, CfA urged the SEC ([link removed]) to investigate Natera for failing to disclose these risks to investors and the public.
Crisis Pregnancy Centers Deceive Patients with Google Ads: Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) are using sponsored Google search results to deceive people looking for information about abortions, and new reporting shows ([link removed]) that their tactics are working. TTP highlighted this practice in a September report ([link removed]) , which warned that unsuspecting users could be lured into "clinics" which provided no actual care. Despite the media attention ([link removed]) generated by these findings, Google has again failed to enforce its own rules and stop CPCs from lying to users.
Facebook Oversight Board Criticizes VIP Policies: Facebook's Oversight Board has been widely criticized as a public relations shield, only capable of making non-binding recommendations that don't seriously inconvenience the company or challenge its business model. That said, the board did manage to draw attention ([link removed]) to Facebook's "XCheck" system, which allows high-profile users to get away with breaking rules - including ones against harassment and the incitement of violence.
In 2020, TTP discovered evidence ([link removed]) of similarly preferential treatment on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook's parent company, Meta. In that case, certain accounts were protected from negative hashtags, while others were allowed to appear alongside disinformation and smears.
** What We're Reading:
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* DOJ undermines Google in Supreme Court case over who’s responsible for social media posts ([link removed])
Tech giants beware - the Justice Department has filed an amicus brief in an upcoming Supreme Court case to argue that Section 230 protections should not shield platforms from accountability when they recommend or amplify content from terrorists.
* The mass unbanning of suspended Twitter users is underway ([link removed])
After announcing "amnesty" for banned Twitter users, Elon Musk is allowing them back on the platform. For advertisers, that means their products could be shown alongside extremist or white supremacist content ([link removed]) . ([link removed])
* ‘Constant turmoil’ at FDA’s food regulatory agency, report says ([link removed])
A panel of independent experts has concluded that a lack of leadership at the FDA's Human Foods Program has "contributed to a culture of indecisiveness and inaction." The panel's report comes on the heels of the infant formula crisis, which highlighted problems within the agency.
** Follow Our Work:
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We thank you for your continued support. Without people like you, our work would not be possible.
Here is how you can stay involved and help us accomplish our mission:
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2. Follow the Tech Transparency Project on Twitter ([link removed]) .
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5. Make a tax-deductible donation ([link removed]) .
Be on the lookout for more updates about our work in the upcoming weeks. Thanks again for signing up to be a part of CfA!
Sincerely,
Michelle Kuppersmith
Executive Director, Campaign for Accountability
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