Posted on 04/11/2018 7:27:10 AM PDT by Kaslin
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) grilled Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Tuesday about whether or not the social media platform was biased against conservatives. Zuckerberg acknowledged that Cruz raised a “fair concern” but insisted that Facebook was committed to being a “platform for all ideas.”
"There are a great many Americans who I think are deeply concerned that Facebook and other tech companies are engaged in a pervasive pattern of bias and political censorship," Cruz said.
He read off examples of Facebook suppressing conservative speech, starting with former Facebook employees admitting to suppressing conservative news in May of 2016. Cruz brought up Facebook shutting down a Chick-fil-A appreciation page and most recently censoring Trump supporters Diamond and Silk.
Ted Cruz to Zuckerberg: Is there Facebook political bias? (video)
"Senator, let me say a few things about this,” Zuckerberg replied. “First, I understand where that concern is coming from because Facebook and the tech industry are located in the Silicon Valley which is an extremely left-leaning place and this is actually a concern that I have and that I try to root out in the company — is making sure that we don't have any bias in the work that we do.”
He said that it was a "fair concern." Cruz then interrupted to ask if any pages from Planned Parenthood, Moveon.org, or Democratic candidates, had been taken down by Facebook.
Zuckerberg replied that he was "not specifically aware" of any of those pages being censored.
Cruz asked if Zuckerberg was aware of the political orientations of the 15,000 to 20,000 people Facebook has working on security and content review.
"No, Senator, we do not generally ask people about their political orientation when they are joining the company," Zuckerberg said.
Zuckerberg concluded his exchange with Cruz by insisting that Facebook is committed to a free exchange of ideas.
"I am very committed to making sure that Facebook is a platform for all ideas," he insisted. "That is a very important founding principle of what we do. We're proud of the discourse and the different ideas that people can share on the service. And that is something that, as long as I'm running the company, I'm going to be committed to making sure is the case."
Cruz would have made some major points if he had asked, “To how many of the senators sitting before you did you contribute donations?”
“Yellow-teefed lying fascist pinhead.”
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“I no longer get my news from the TV news shows, anyway” was the response to: CNN,MSNBC and the rest are influencing voters by 24/7 anti-Trump propaganda and deletion of any pro conservative news.
Now you see that total censorship of social media means they do the same and the left wins all the time.
Facebook = Nazis Sterilization Experiments
Furthermore Facebook might by sued for breach of contract and deceptive business practices if they are making the claim that they maintaining open and unbiased exchange of views while actually discriminating. If not by users then by advertisers who are being denied access to demographics they are paying to reach..
GREAT point; I would have paid to watch that.
That's a stretch and you no it. If it's fraud, fine. Sue them. But, censorship and discrimination is part of the core principles of freedom in a private entity.
know
You have GOT to get over your seething hatred of Ted Cruz. The primaries are long over, and it’s time to support good representatives like Ted Cruz. Your bitterness is driving you psychotic. It’s not healthy.
I don’t have a seething hate. Perhaps YOU do? Of folks who call it like it is?
I am the person who fund raised, volunteered and attended numerous events, for cRuz.
How about you?
You have GOT to stop telling folks how they do/don’t feel, about anything.
Have a nice day, Theo.
Zuckerberg = “Data” from Star Trek.
These Senators do not care.
Agree. That’s the bottom line.
Being a Senator is just the necessary prerequisite for landing the cushy lobbyist job.
“Private entities are not exempt from disctimationn laws if they are considered a public accommodation. I’m confident that Facebook would fall under those restrictions.”
That’s a mighty stretch, since the law actually defines what public accommodations are and specifically says they are “places”, which means physical locations, so they can’t possibly apply to websites that occupy no physical location.
If you are a "neutral public forum" you are "protected" in certain ways from liability.
If you are NOT "neutral"....those protections are not available to you.
Facebook and YouTube are trying to fly under "neutral" protections while banning political speech they don't like.
How is Facebook NOT a public accommodation? I’m not talking about the ideal, but the reality of current law.
Did the internet exist when these laws were written? Lawsuits have already been filed against companies under the ADA, charging that they violate equal access. I think you’d lose the bet if you wager that websites won’t be considered public accommodations.
Ted Cruz, stepping into Trey Gowdy’s shoes.
Same song and dance, same outcome we can hope.
Meh. I don’t have seething hatred. I’m just bored with people like you who continue to despise Ted Cruz long after the primaries are behind us. You’re so 2016. Whatever.
Good points.
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