"The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing centered on what's known as "jawboning" comes as the protection of free speech has been in the spotlight following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and criticism of the Trump administration from late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert. The administration threatened following Kirk's assassination last month to hold employees that made celebratory comments around the death of Turning Point USA co-founder accountable."
""The First Amendment is the bedrock of this country, and we have an obligation to defend it," Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who chairs the committee, wrote in a statement announcing the hearing. "It is dangerous for the government to abuse its authority and act as the speech police. No free society, built on an informed citizenry and public discourse, can thrive when government censors lawful speech and sets itself up as the arbiter of truth," he added later."
A Senate Commerce Committee hearing will examine alleged government pressure, known as "jawboning," on social media companies to remove or suppress speech protected by the First Amendment. The inquiry follows controversy after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and criticism of the Trump administration by late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert. The administration warned it may hold employees accountable for celebratory comments about Kirk's death. Sen. Ted Cruz, committee chair, framed the issue as a defense of the First Amendment and warned against government acting as speech police. The hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. EDT. The hearing will scrutinize the boundaries between lawful speech, platform moderation, and government influence.
Read at The Hill
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]