| Friend — “They’re killing people.” That’s what President Biden said last week of Facebook’s failure to crack down on COVID-19 misinformation.1
This followed the unprecedented step taken by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who declared that online misinformation “poses an imminent and insidious threat to our nation’s health” — and that tech companies have endangered lives.2
On Monday, Biden tried to walk his statement back, backing off his assertion that the company was killing people and instead noting that it was simply allowing misinformation to spread. We know it’s the platforms’ negligence and misinformation that kills people. We need your help to keep politicians on track and hold tech CEOs accountable. Please donate today.
When the surgeon general’s office first sounded the alarm about tobacco in 1964, Congress followed with measures to begin to repair the extensive harms the industry had inflicted on generations of first- and second-hand smokers. Surgeon General Murthy’s warning is loud and clear: The fight against disinformation has become a defining battle of our time, and Congress must take action.
For years, right-wing talk radio, Fox News and the Sinclair Broadcast Group have assaulted the public with blatant mischaracterizations and outright lies — purposeful disinformation. For years, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social-media companies have gladly profited as disinformation has run rampant on their platforms.
For years, Free Press Action has been at the forefront of the fight against disinformation. Together, we’ve made significant progress — and Surgeon General Murthy’s report is a major breakthrough.
We need your help today to push our politicians to commit to the fight so social-media companies will stop prioritizing their profits over people. Please donate today.
The forces we are up against are no joke. As our movement has grown, Free Press Action and our partners in the Change the Terms coalition have gained traction in the halls of Congress — but Big Tech has become more powerful. Since 2020, Facebook alone has invested a whopping $24.5 million in lobbying for its corporate interests, and has posted hundreds of openings for so-called public-policy experts to grow its influence.
But with thousands of activists like you at our side, and the president showing signs that he may be willing to truly take social-media companies on, we can turn the tides. Please donate now.
We’ve all seen just how deadly disinformation is. We will not forget the murder of Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha. Or the violence at the Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6. Right now, we’re watching as COVID-19 again surges across the country.
We’ve also seen the impact our movement can make. Together, we successfully got Trump kicked off Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Together, we pushed Google and Amazon to kick Parler to the curb. When Twitter and Facebook showed they have the tools to fight disinformation by taking down election lies — they just have to be willing to use those tools.
We need your help to force Big Tech to stop profiting off of deadly disinformation once and for all. Please make your voice heard today.
In solidarity,
Candace, Rose and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net
P.S. Remember, Free Press Action does not take a cent from business, government or political parties. Our independence is simply too important — and that means that everything we do is made possible by donations from people like you. Surgeon General Murthy’s report is a real breakthrough in our fight against disinformation. President Biden even acknowledged that COVID-19 misinformation on Facebook is “killing people.” Please donate now to help us keep the momentum going.
1. “Biden Says Platforms Like Facebook Are ‘Killing People’ With COVID Misinformation,” CNN, July 17, 2021 2.“Surgeon General's Warning on the Health Dangers of Misinformation Must Prompt Congress to Hold Platforms Accountable, Says Free Press Action,” Free Press Action, July 15, 2021 |
