Written by Andrew Morris
Facebook and its CEO were attacked today by conservatives today for its ban on former President Trump.
Many important political figures voiced their concern on the censorship, including Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows. “It is a sad day for America. It’s a sad day for Facebook because I can tell you, a number of members of Congress are now looking at: Do they break up Facebook, do they make sure that they don’t have a monopoly? And I can tell you that it is two different standards, one for Donald Trump and one for a number of other people that are on their sites”.
As many American’s remember, the ban allegedly happened due to the January 6th Capital riots, yet many still wonder if Facebook used this as an excuse to ban the former President, and inhibit free speech. The Oversight Board gave Facebook six months to review the decision. Today that decision came to uphold the ban on the former President, even 4 months after former President Trump was removed from power, the liberal institutions fear losing the power they so dearly hold.
Yet as this injustice continues, conservative voices are speaking out.
Ben Shapiro, a popular conservative commentator wrote “This ‘decision’ is absurd” on Twitter, referring to the upheld ban.
Republican Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn stated, “Facebook’s decision to uphold its ban on President Donald Trump is extremely disappointing. It is clear that Mark Zuckerberg views himself as the arbiter of free speech”. Disappointing indeed, not just on Facebook’s part, but on the liberal left for obstructing free speech and supporting the invalidation of the First Amendment, one of the primary principles upon which this great nation was built.
Kevin McCarthy wisely voiced his concern for this obstruction on Twitter, stating “Facebook is more interested in acting like a Democrat Super PAC than a platform for free speech and open debate. If they can ban President Trump, all conservative voices could be next. A House Republican majority will rein in big tech power over our speech.”
Furthermore, Republican Florida Senator Rick Scott voiced his own concern, contending “Big tech thinks it can control everything. Companies that censor Americans while giving brutal dictators a pass should not have free rein over your personal data to use for their benefit. I introduced the DATA Act to hold big tech accountable.” Scott proposes an act to limit big corporation’s control over your personal data, which can be found here.
Even further, Texas Senator Ted Cruz voiced his own concerns on the matter via Twitter, replying “Disgraceful. For every liberal celebrating Trump’s social media ban, if the Big Tech oligarchs can muzzle the former President, what’s to stop them from silencing you?”
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley criticized large social media corporations for their glaring double standard. “Facebook and Twitter ban a former U.S. President, yet, some [of the world’s worst dictators, terrorists, and bad actors still have a platform.” She follows up by stating “This is a gross double standard and it’s why most Americans don’t trust big tech.”
“The Facebook Oversight Board is a dumb distraction from the actual issue of Facebook’s hegemonic control over global political speech, reinforced today by the platform anointing itself with the moral authority to memory hole future world leaders at their own discretion,” Rachel Bovard, member of the Conservative Partnership Institute commented.
This decision to uphold Trump’s ban comes right after, and perhaps partially due to Trump’s new platform, “From the desk of Donald J. Trump.”
