WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are looking into the growing number of hate groups inciting violence on social media platforms.
The House subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce heard testimony from witnesses about the increasing threat and said radicals from both political sides are using social media.
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“I know firsthand that online hate ruins lives,” said Taylor Dumpson. “Hate should never be normalized.”
WATCH LIVE: Consumer Protection & Commerce Subcommittee virtual hearing on the growing prevalence of online extremism and social media’s role in its rapid spread →
— Energy and Commerce Committee (@EnergyCommerce) September 24, 2020
Dumpson shared her story about the founder of a well-known Neo Nazi website directing his followers to send racist and threatening messages to her after she was elected as the first Black woman Student Government President at American University in 2017.
“Quote, just smash her in the head with a bike lock hard enough to split her head open with a wound that needed stitches,” Dumpson said as she read the threats.
Dumpson sued the website’s founder and was awarded more than $700,000.
Lawmakers discussed holding the social media companies more accountable when they don’t take action to stop these kinds of hateful messages.
Social media companies don’t just let disinformation & harmful content exist on their platforms – their algorithms actually amplify it, making them an incubator for extremism. Since these companies won’t fix this on their own, @EnergyCommerce is hearing what Congress must do. pic.twitter.com/z1jxzz3rgC
— Rep. Frank Pallone (@FrankPallone) September 24, 2020
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“Big tech has helped divide nations and has stoked genocide in others,” said Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-Illinois). “Controversy and extremism drives engagement and therefore profit,”
Tech experts said the extremism comes from both political sides, pointing to a growing number of online threats against law enforcement and elected leaders.
“These anti-government, anti-police messages broke into the mainstream including Facebook and Twitter,” said John Donohue, a Fellow at Rutgers University Miler Center for Community Protection and Resiliency.
There was also caution about protecting free speech.
“For political speech we disagree with, the answer should not be censorship,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington). “The answer should always be more speech and for harmful speech, it should be removed.”
What's the point of the @Twitter rules if @Jack applies them differently depending on the user?
— CathyMcMorrisRodgers (@cathymcmorris) September 24, 2020
Is this a fair & safe platform for free speech & the battle of ideas? Or is content bias acceptable as long as it influences elections in favor of the political whims of the woke mob? pic.twitter.com/pOTXwqTxbt
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Schakowsky said she plans to introduce a bill next week that would hold the social media companies more accountable.
“Next week, I will be circulating a draft legislative proposal that aims to fundamentally alter these companies' business models and give consumers and regulators the recourse when these companies fail in their basic commitments,” Schakowsky said.
Cox Media Group
