Social media urged to act against violent posts
Trump administration describes such content as ‘criminal activity’
The Trump administration is calling on Facebook, Twitter and other tech giants to take action against posts that call for people to break curfews, commit violent acts and topple statues in connection with racial justice protests nationwide, describing such content as “criminal activity” that puts Americans’ security at risk.
The requests came in a series of letters sent Friday to top tech executives from the Department of Homeland Security, whose acting secretary, Chad Wolf, wrote that popular social media sites appear to have played a role in facilitating “burglary, arson, aggravated assault, rioting, looting, and defacing public property,” according to copies shared with The Washington Post.
Lawyers for the Trump administration also have been looking into ways they can use their own legal authorities in response to content they see as illegal or violent, according to a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private deliberation. The move comes as the U.S. government more broadly is looking at reforming laws that for years have spared online sites and services from being held liable for the content posted by their users.
“In the wake of George Floyd’s death, America faced an unprecedented threat from violent extremists seeking to co-opt the tragedy of his death for illicit purposes,” wrote Wolf to companies including Apple, Snap and Alphabet, the parent company for Google and YouTube.
Apple, Facebook, Google, Snap and Twitter did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In his letters, Wolf did not reference any specific social-media posts or political groups, opting instead for a broad call that Silicon Valley help “put an end” to attacks on people and property that he said were facilitated in part by major online platforms. His requests for tech giants to take more aggressive action could face uncertain reception among those who see social-media sites as conduits for harm but also believe President Donald Trump wrongly has blamed protesters for violent acts.
Many demonstrations across the country in the aftermath of Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police have, in fact, been peaceful affairs.