White House escalates war against Facebook, Google and Twitter with a campaign asking users to share

Source: Washington Post

The White House on Wednesday escalated its war against Silicon Valley when it announced an unprecedented campaign asking Internet users to share if they had been censored on Facebook, Google and Twitter, tapping into President Trump’s long-running claim that tech giants are biased against conservatives.

The effort, which the White House said on Twitter was directed at users “no matter your views,” seeks to collect names, contact information and other details from Americans. The survey asks whether they have encountered problems on Facebook, Instagram, Google-owned YouTube, Twitter or other social media sites — companies the president frequently takes aim at for alleged political censorship.

“Too many Americans have seen their accounts suspended, banned, or fraudulently reported for unclear ‘violations’ of user policies,” the survey claims.

The White House also asked users for permission to send new email newsletters about “President Trump’s fight for free speech," so that the administration “can update you without relying on platforms like Facebook and Twitter.” The president is one of Twitter’s most prolific users, regularly blasting out his political thoughts to more than 60 million followers on the site.

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By Tony Romm May 15 at 7:32 PM


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/05/15/white-house-escalates-war-against-facebook-google-twitter-with-campaign-asking-users-share-stories-censorship/

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Full headline: White House escalates war against Facebook, Google and Twitter with a campaign asking users to share stories of censorship

Earlier in LBN: White House declines to back Christchurch call to stamp out online extremism amid free speech concerns