Tom Parker
Tom Parker is a founder and lead editor for Reclaim The Net and provides news and analysis on how we can promote free speech, stop censorship, and protect our personal data online.
Facebook contractors listened to users’ private audio messages
This follows reports of Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft also running similar programs where user’s audio recordings are sent to third-party contractors.
Snopes faces criticism over its new “Labeled Satire” rating
Critics are arguing that the rating insinuates that certain pieces of satire are not “real satire.”
CEO Susan Wojcicki says news commentary is a “very small” part of YouTube
This could explain why YouTube has been so open about embracing “authoritative sources” for its news content.
YouTube removes congressional candidate Joey Salads’ Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy video for “hate speech”
It’s not clear what constitutes “hate speech”. Salads was only asking the same questions as many other people reacting to the Epstein suicide.
Google’s “Top Stories” section showed CNN 25% of the time for queries about Dayton and El Paso mass shootings
This follows a Google executive saying that Google shows CNN for 20% of searches for Donald Trump.
White House proposal to combat online censorship may allow FCC to remove Section 230 protections
Critics are concerned that the proposals may go too far and could be unconstitutional.
Twitter backs down, restores Mitch McConnell video and campaign account after mass boycott threats
While the decision is a partial victory for the McConnell campaign, Twitter is still soft censoring the tweet that caused McConnell’s campaign account to be locked.
Ted Cruz and others join GOP’s multimillion dollar Twitter ads boycott after McConnell campaign lock-out
Senator Ted Cruz, the Republican party, the Trump Campaign, multiple Republican committees, and others have paused their Twitter ads to protest Twitter’s “disgusting bias.”
Facebook plans to license legacy media news content after suppressing many indie creators from its platforms
Facebook’s plans are the latest example of big tech platforms making it harder for independent creators to thrive.
Apple sued for violating California privacy laws, recording Siri conversations without consent
Concerns are growing that virtual assistants like Siri can be used to spy on users.
Twitter gives Senator Mitch McConnell campaign account ultimatum, won’t unlock it unless he deletes video
Yet another example of Twitter’s actions impacting US elections.
White House drafts executive order to tackle social media’s anti-conservative bias
This follows numerous reports exposing anti-conservative bias in 2019.