The directive, according to a draft which leaked Wednesday night, would ask the Federal Communications Commission to specify when platforms may be considered to be breaching the good faith provisions of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), which limits their legal liability for what their users post. The Federal Trade Commission would rule on complaints about political bias in content moderation. Both agencies operate at arm’s length from the White House. The U.S. president also said Thursday he’s asked his attorney general to work with states to enforce their laws against what he called social media companies’ deceptive business practices. (The Washington Post, Reuters)
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg criticized Twitter for fact-checking President Donald Trump’s tweets, arguing that private companies “shouldn’t be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online.” Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey defended the move, adding “we will admit to and own any mistakes we make.” (Financial Times)
In a joint statement, Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the move could undermine the “enhanced trust in governments and international cooperation” required to combat COVID-19. The signatories also claim Beijing is not living up to commitments made when the territory reverted from British colonial rule. (The Logic)
