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The Biden administration is plotting ways to censor “misinformation” online

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It’s not only conservatives and Republicans who criticize Big Tech: Democrats and leftists do it, too.

While one political and ideological grouping does believe there is too much censorship and freedom of speech stifling on Big Tech’s social platforms, the other essentially thinks, though not in so many words, that there’s not enough of it.

But both sides appear to share a common concern regarding these massive corporations’ market power and antitrust implications – but once again, from somewhat different positions.

Now that Democrats have their president in the White House, his administration is deliberating ways in which to bring Big Tech even more to heel around stepping up censorship of “misinformation,” and “make them (Big Tech) accountable” – in other words, regulate them. Another matter mentioned now is the market position the companies in question hold in relation to their competitors.

Reuters says that these conversations – that the White House is declining to officially comment on – are now happening between lawmakers and Biden’s aides, and also aim to tackle CDA’s Section 230, by now a highly politicized piece of legislation passed in 1996 to protect internet companies.

As a candidate, Biden wanted Section 230 revoked, while Trump as president attempted to repeal it.

But Section 230’s co-author Ron Wyden’s aides are speaking with the new administration about reforming rather than repealing it. However, no details have yet emerged as to what this reform would entail, while conservatives want to make sure that the law is no longer used by Big Tech to censor their voices without any consequences.

As for “misinformation” – Democrat lawmakers like Tom Malinowski want to make social media giants legally liable if they allow content that he sees and radicalizing and that “leads to violence.”

Malinowski also revealed that preliminary talks are already happening with the White House to find a way to implement such rules.

Representative Jackie Speier, also a Democrat, wants to discuss with the new administration how to stop misinformation and gender-based attacks on the internet. Speier also wants the conversation on future moves to introduce tighter regulation to include “steps toward content moderation.”

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