Elizabeth Warren on Social Media Regulation
Elizabeth Warren holds a strong position that major social media platforms exert excessive power, frequently stating that companies like Facebook and Google "have more power than governments." This concentration of power is seen by Warren as a fundamental danger to American democracy and a factor that stifles economic competition.
Her approach to regulation centers on structural remedies, most notably her consistent call to break up big tech companies. Beyond breaking up monopolies, Warren has focused on platform accountability regarding content, urging companies to take steps against misinformation and to open their data for external research.
Furthermore, Warren has actively pursued legislative and oversight measures to address platform behavior, including proposing comprehensive legislation to establish a new commission to regulate online platforms. This work is driven by concerns over content moderation practices, censorship, and protecting users from discrimination, demonstrating a commitment to federal oversight of these powerful entities.
Context
Elizabeth Warren's focus on social media regulation is intrinsically linked to her broader critique of Big Tech monopolies, which she argues stifle economic competition and accumulate excessive political influence.
As a prominent Senator, her positions carry weight in discussions about federal oversight and legislative solutions for the digital sphere. Her past presidential campaign platform clearly outlined a robust agenda for holding these companies accountable beyond simple content moderation rules.
Actions Taken
- LegislationUnveiled comprehensive legislation to rein in Big Tech by establishing a new commission to regulate online platforms.
- OversightSent letters to Facebook and Instagram calling for them to address reported censorship of posts related to abortion services after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
- Legislation CollaborationWorked with Senators Graham and Hawley on a measure to regulate or license social media companies, including provisions for an appeal process for removed content.
Key Quotes
The giants need to be broken up, and this is true, Facebook, Google, all of them. These people have more power than governments.”
The safety of our democracy is more important than shareholder dividends and CEO salaries.
I'm also calling on tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google to take real steps right now to fight disinformation spread on their platforms.
Sources5
Sen. Elizabeth Warren says tech companies like Facebook 'have more power than governments'
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.