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Cruz Grills Zuckerberg on Facebook's Censorship of Conservatives
Townhall.com ^ | April 11, 2018 | Lauretta Brown

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."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: california; conservatives; cruz; facebook; fascistbook; freespeech; internet; markzuckerberg; tedcruz; zuckerberg
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To: ManHunter

Cruz would have made some major points if he had asked, “To how many of the senators sitting before you did you contribute donations?”


21 posted on 04/11/2018 8:07:19 AM PDT by ManHunter (You can run, but you'll only die tired... Army snipers: Reach out and touch someone)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

“Yellow-teefed lying fascist pinhead.”
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

“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.


22 posted on 04/11/2018 8:26:25 AM PDT by frank ballenger
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To: Kaslin

Facebook = Nazis Sterilization Experiments


23 posted on 04/11/2018 8:32:14 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: Theoria
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. While that does not protect from discrimination on the basis of political views, it does on the basis of religion. If bias toward Christian groups could be shown, Facebook could be guilty of illegal activity.

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..

24 posted on 04/11/2018 8:32:50 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: onona

GREAT point; I would have paid to watch that.


25 posted on 04/11/2018 8:42:20 AM PDT by budj (combat vet, 2nd of 3 generations)
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To: SoCal Pubbie
'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 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.

26 posted on 04/11/2018 8:48:37 AM PDT by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
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To: Theoria

know


27 posted on 04/11/2018 8:48:53 AM PDT by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
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To: Jane Long

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.


28 posted on 04/11/2018 8:49:51 AM PDT by Theo (FReeping since 1998 ... drain the swamp.)
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To: Theo

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.


29 posted on 04/11/2018 9:01:21 AM PDT by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
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To: Biggirl

Zuckerberg = “Data” from Star Trek.


30 posted on 04/11/2018 9:01:24 AM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear
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To: Biggirl

These Senators do not care.


Agree. That’s the bottom line.


31 posted on 04/11/2018 9:02:14 AM PDT by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
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To: Jane Long

Being a Senator is just the necessary prerequisite for landing the cushy lobbyist job.


32 posted on 04/11/2018 9:03:26 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: SoCal Pubbie

“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.


33 posted on 04/11/2018 9:06:16 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Kaslin
Too bad other "elected officials" aren't as savy as Cruz. This is the same questioning that was presented to YouTube.

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.

34 posted on 04/11/2018 9:27:57 AM PDT by TXSearcher (Interesting times we live in...........)
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To: Theoria

How is Facebook NOT a public accommodation? I’m not talking about the ideal, but the reality of current law.


35 posted on 04/11/2018 10:03:03 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: Boogieman

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.


36 posted on 04/11/2018 10:06:48 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: Theoria
In the late 19th Century, the railroads regarded themselves as exempt from regulation even though they were effectively monopolies in transporting agricultural or manufactured goods. If you were a rancher in Texas in 1890, you could either use the Texas and Pacific or other local railroads to take your cattle to Fort Worth or Kansas City markets, or go back to what had been done in 1870, drive the cattle hundreds of miles on trails to Kansas rail heads. Weight loss and time spent determined the use of the closer in rail lines. The decision was made on both Federal and State levels to treat the railroads, along with steel, rubber, and other monopolies, as public utilities subject to regulation. Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube, etc., are the modern equivalent of railroads.
37 posted on 04/11/2018 10:07:15 AM PDT by Wallace T.
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To: Kaslin

Ted Cruz, stepping into Trey Gowdy’s shoes.

Same song and dance, same outcome we can hope.


38 posted on 04/11/2018 10:14:48 AM PDT by Duchess47 ("One day I will leave this world and dream myself to Reality" Crazy Horse)
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To: Jane Long

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.


39 posted on 04/11/2018 10:16:54 AM PDT by Theo (FReeping since 1998 ... drain the swamp.)
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To: SoCal Pubbie

Good points.


40 posted on 04/11/2018 10:25:11 AM PDT by Theo (FReeping since 1998 ... drain the swamp.)
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