Washington:
The CEOs of Facebook, Google parent Alphabet, and Twitter testify ahead of Congress on Thursday for the 1st time due to the fact pro-Trump supporters stormed the U.S Capitol, an attack in which critics say social media played a important function.
Here are 5 factors to watch for in the testimony of Facebook Inc’s Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai of Alphabet Inc and Twitter Inc’s Jack Dorsey ahead of two subcommittees of the Energy and Commerce Committee:
Function OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE CAPITOL VIOLENCE
After the November presidential election, false narratives about voting fraud on social media and elsewhere helped to spur supporters of former President Donald Trump to storm the Capitol, the seat of US government, on Jan 6
Lawmakers will probably ask about social media’s function in inciting the violence.
The non-profit Avaaz mentioned in a new report this week that it had identified 267 Facebook pages and groups – which includes “Stop the Steal” groups – with some 32 million followers that spread content glorifying violence late final year.
Facebook took problem with the report, it mentioned.
Must SECTION 230 BE CHANGED?
The tech platforms have lengthy lobbied to safeguard Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields on the web platforms from liability more than user content, although some Republicans have advocated that it be scrapped and a number of bipartisan proposals have recommended revising it. Facebook’s Zuckerberg recommended in written testimony released on Wednesday that it be changed to give platforms immunity from liability if they adhere to ideal practices for removing damaging material from their platforms.
Google’s Pichai and Twitter’s Dorsey proposed approaches such as building content policies that are transparent and providing customers strategies to appeal choices.
HAS TRUMP TWEETED FOR THE Final TIME?
Republican lawmakers had been angered by the choices to suspend Trump from Facebook and Twitter in the waning days of his administration, and what they see as a basic stifling of conservative voices. Republicans may possibly stress the CEOs to reverse course.
Or they may possibly choose that the suspensions are no major deal due to the fact Trump has apparently decided to launch his personal platform in coming months.
A PANDEMIC OF MISINFORMATION
Lawmakers have been aggravated by widespread misinformation on the web about COVID-19, which includes how severe and genuine the pandemic is, bogus therapies for the coronavirus and no matter if vaccines to inoculate persons against it are secure. Facebook mentioned lately that it removed more than 12 million pieces of content about COVID-19 and vaccines that international wellness professionals flagged as misinformation.
Still, the Center for Countering Digital Hate mentioned in a report this week that all 3 platforms had failed to satisfactorily enforce their vaccine misinformation policies and attorneys basic for 12 states mentioned Facebook and Twitter necessary to do more to combat the issue.
WHAT ARE PLATFORMS Undertaking TO Quit MISINFORMATION?
The platforms have invested in content moderation aimed at curbing misinformation and introduced a flurry of new guidelines in current months.Zuckerberg in his testimony will speak about its third-party reality-checking network and how Facebook promotes authoritative info.
He will also continue to emphasize that Facebook is not about political content for most customers.
Dorsey will speak about Twitter’s misinformation policies and plans, such as its reality-checking experiment Birdwatch.Pichai in written testimony on Wednesday also listed actions taken by Google following Jan 6, such as providing authoritative news sources a larger profile. Lawmakers may possibly ask the platforms no matter if actions following the assault on Congress had been as well small, as well late.