Trump readies order aimed at social media firms
US President Donald Trump was preparing to sign an executive order yesterday aimed at curbing liability protections for social media companies, two days after he lashed out at Twitter for applying fact checks to two of his tweets.
Trump had threatened social media companies with new regulation or even shuttering on Wednesday, lashing out at the new policy he believed interfered with his political messaging, but he alone can’t do that.
The proposed order would direct executive branch agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, to study whether they can place new rules on the companies — though experts expressed doubts much could be done without an act of Congress.
A similar executive order was previously considered by the administration but shelved over concerns it couldn’t pass legal muster and that it violated conservative principles on deregulation and free speech.
Two administration officials outlined the draft order on condition of anonymity because it was still being finalized yesterday morning. But a draft was circulating on Twitter.
“This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!” Trump tweeted yesterday. On Wednesday, he claimed tech giants “silence conservative voices.”
“We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen.”
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Trump would sign an executive order relating to social media companies but provided no further details. White House strategic communications director Alyssa Farah said Trump would sign it yesterday.
Trump and his campaign lashed out at the company after Twitter added a warning phrase to two Trump tweets that called mail-in ballots “fraudulent” and predicted “mail boxes will be robbed.” Under the tweets, there’s now a link reading “Get the facts about mail-in ballots” that guides users to a page with fact checks and news stories about Trump’s unsubstantiated claims.
Trump accused Twitter of “interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election” and insisting “as president, I will not allow this to happen.”
Late on Wednesday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted, “We’ll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally.”
(AP)