news: coronavirus: Trump approaches ‘close’ social-media policies because he fights with Twitter

news: coronavirus: Trump approaches ‘close’ social-media policies because he fights with Twitter

news: Trump executive order to punish social-media platforms is actually toothless, legal experts say

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order ostensibly to prevent online censorship, a broad government review of private companies’ activities with potentially grave consequences for social-media companies.

Trump claimed within the “Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship” that social-media companies have “unchecked power” to censor and restrict speech, and “we're uninterested with it.” He vowed to limit liability protections enjoyed by such companies, with possible legislation and lawsuits to return.

See also: Trump signs order aimed toward curbing social-media companies amid brawl with Twitter

Expectations before the order — every day after Trump threatened to punish Twitter Inc. for putting fact-checking warning labels on two of his tweets — sent Twitter TWTR, -2.23% shares down 4.4% in regular trading Thursday. Facebook Inc.’s FB, +0.79% stock declined 1.6% after a recent streak. Google parent Alphabet Inc. GOOGL, +0.92% GOOG, +0.91% shares were flat. Twitter and Facebook parts increased somewhat in next-hours trading after the order was signed.

Snap Inc. SNAP, +1.83%, and Pinterest Inc. PINS, +2.12%, which seemed to escape Trump’s wrath, both had solid days on Wall Street: Snap shares closed up 7.4%, and Pinterest advanced 3.6%.

See also: Trump to sign an executive order on social-media companies on Thursday

The controversial order immediately pitted social media’s two biggest names on opposite sides of the talk. during a series of tweets, Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said Wednesday: “We’ll still mean incorrect or disputed information about elections globally.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, though, that he “believes well that Facebook shouldn’t be the authority of truth of everything that people say online.”

“Us should a selected plan than Twitter thereon ,” Zuckerberg replied. “Individual companies probably shouldn’t be, especially these platform companies, shouldn’t be within the position of doing that.”

Legal experts said the order is actually political and toothless in terms of enforcement, but it could lay the groundwork for legislation. Others warned it is a blatant and unconstitutional threat to punish social-media companies that displease the president.

“This executive order could also be a half-baked effort which can have few legal effects, but it could chill free expression online and threaten the open internet,” Justin Brookman, director of consumer privacy and technology policy for Consumer Reports, said during a press release . “A fact check by Twitter is a piece of writing decision protected by the first Amendment.”

“Moves like this might come from Congress, not executive orders,” Brown said in an email. “It will set in motion several agency activities that might have a selection of unintended consequences and may generate plenty of lobbying and legal spending.”

Others were more blunt and unsparing. “Much as he might wish otherwise, Donald Trump is not the president of Twitter,” ACLU Senior Legislative Counsel Kate Ruane said during a press release . Section 230 incentivizes platforms to host all types of content without fear of being held liable for it. It enables speech, not censorship.”

Processes generally,” Sylvain said in an email.

The order comes amid a mounting price from the coronavirus pandemic — it topped 100,000 on Wednesday within the U.S. — and new jobless claims on Thursday that put 41 million Americans out of labor.

An economy that's sinking to Great Depression levels,” Kristen Clarke, president and executive of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said during a press release .

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