Resolution in Support of Congressional Law to Combat Government Pressuring of Social Media Platforms to Remove Speech
| Model Bill Info | |
|---|---|
| Bill Title | Resolution in Support of Congressional Law to Combat Government Pressuring of Social Media Platforms to Remove Speech |
| Date Introduced | November 30, 2022 |
| Type | Model Resolution |
| Status | Draft |
| Task Forces | Communications and Technology |
Resolution in Support of Congressional Law to Combat Government Pressuring of Social Media Platforms to Remove Speech
WHEREAS, social media platforms are private businesses and if forced by the United States Government to carry or promote speech those actions by the United States Government should be exposed and investigated for potentially violations of civil and criminal law,
WHEREAS, President Joe Biden said to social media platforms that they “are killing people” by hosting comments on COVID with which the White House disagrees,
WHEREAS, warnings from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations to Facebook prompted suppression of the Biden laptop story on Facebook,
WHEREAS, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy described conflicting COVID information as “an imminent and insidious threat to our nation’s health,”
WHEREAS, former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, Facebook has a duty to “promote quality information sources in their feed algorithm,”
WHEREAS, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “We’ve increased disinformation research and tracking within the surgeon general’s office,”
WHEREAS, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “We’re flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread disinformation. We’re working with doctors and medical professionals to connect medical experts who are popular with our audiences with accurate information and boost trusted content—so we are helping get trusted content out there,”
WHEREAS, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “We are in regular touch with these social media platforms, and those engagements typically happen through members of our senior staff, but also members of our COVID-19 team,”
WHEREAS, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki threatened a “robust enforcement strategy” against online social media businesses,
WHEREAS, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki threatened social media businesses by saying “I don’t think we’ve taken any options off the table. That’s up to Congress to determine how they want to proceed moving forward…We are not in a war or a battle with Facebook. We are in a battle with the virus. The problem we’re seeing that our Surgeon General elevated last week is that… inaccurate information about vaccines is killing people,”
WHEREAS, social media platforms have removed tens of millions of pieces of content related to COVID information following comments and conversations with the Biden White House,
WHEREAS, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy stated that tech companies “have to stop allowing specific individuals over and over again to spread disinformation” that contradicts the administration’s preferred climate policy outcomes,
WHEREAS, the Biden administration only abandoned its plans for a so called Disinformation Governance Board after intense public outcry,
WHEREAS, the Biden administration has specifically called on policies and programs to be created to address “online disinformation campaigns targeting women and LGBTQI+ individuals” who are “political figures…activists, and journalists”,
WHEREAS, federal representatives James Comer, Jim Jordan and Cathy McMorris Rodgers have introduced the Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act (H.R. 8752) that would prohibit federal employees from using their positions within the government from censoring speech or pressuring private companies into removing speech,
NOW, THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, the {legislative body} of the state of {name of state} urges Congress to pass the Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act, H.R. 8752, or its 118th Congressional version, as it is within the best interest of all Americans to protect our First Amendment right to free speech,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the {legislative body} of the state of {name of state} urges Congress to perform robust oversight of the Biden administration for any attempts by its officials to unconstitutionally censor or limit the speech rights of Americans.
