Sen. Graham i think we have senator blumenthal remotely, is that correct . Is it ok if we move forward . Sen. Blumenthal absolutely. Sen. Graham this is about censorship and suppression of the 2020 election. Sort of a deep dive when it comes to twitter and facebook about the platforms and the decisions they make, how they make them, can we do better, chemically do we need to do better . The first thing i want to talk about here is health risk associated with social media. A 2018 Pew Research Center survey of nearly 750 13 to 17yearolds found that 45 are online almost constantly and 97 use social media platforms such as youtube, facebook, instagram, or snapchat. If so why are we having this hearing . The products that these two companies offer, people like and they use. So the bottom line is theyve probably been more successful than their wildest dreams, and theyre having to make decisions that offend people on the left and the right. And what were trying to do is look at section 230 an
Good morning, everybody. I think we have senator blumenthal remotely, is that correct . Mr. Chairman. Is it okay, senator blumenthal, if we move forward . Absolutely. Thanks very much. Okay, ill make a brief Opening Statement and this is about censorship, suppression and the 2020 election, sort of a deep dive, when it comes to twitter and facebook, about the platforms and the decisions they make, how they make them. Can we do better . Do we need to do better . So the first thing i want to talk about here is Health Risks Associated with social media. A 2018 Research Center survey of nearly 750 13 to 17yearolds found that 45 are online almost constantly. A 97 use social media platforms such as youtube, facebook, instagram or snapchat. So why are we having this hearing . The products that these two Companies Offer people like and they use. So the bottom line is, theyve probably been more successful than their wildest dreams. And theyre having to make decisions that offend people on the le
Other, whose platform and has done more to protect the 2020 president ial election. Mark zuckerberg is going all in on the claim that facebooks moves have been historic. They have done more than any other country in history to make sure bad, fake information about this election is staying off of their platform. I will paraphrase something he said. They introduced new policies to combat Voter Suppression and misinformation and we worked with local Election Officials to remove hundreds of thousands of false claims about polling conditions. That he worried could have led to Voter Suppression. There is one thing so far in this hearing everyone agrees on, that is which posts stay up on these platforms, which come down and which get slapped with warning labels should definitely not be up to the u. S. Government. Take a listen. When it comes time to flag content as being reliable or not reliable do either one of you believe that the government should do that . I dont believe so. I think that
Without objection the chair medically resource recess without objection the chair may declare a recess had any time i want to go through the usual housekeeping matters todays session is an on an unclassified basis all participants should refrain from discussing classified information on Public Disclosure and the committee is conducting the virtual hearing with House Resolution 965 and the resolution of the proceedings is being broadcast live on the Committee Website because it remains ongoing and so we wish we could return to all Events Health and safety protocols means you have alternate means to carry out so let me remind members and consistent with regulations and to limit background noise members are responsible to unmute themselves when they are recognized for their five minutes because there are delays that would ask members andbe witnesses to allow sufficient time to make sure the last speaker is finished. You must have your cameras on at all times if you step away from the proc
Media, National Security and intelligence. This is an hour and a half. Without objection the chair may declare recess at any time. Before i begin, i want to go through the usual housekeeping matters. First, todays session will be conducted entirely on an unclassified basis. All participants should refrain from discussing any classified information. The committee is conducting the virtual hearing in compliance with House Resolution 965 and regulations for the committee proceedings. Its being broadcast live on the committees website. Because the threat posed by the pandemic is ongoing we will do this remotely to ensure the safety of the witnesses, members, staff and public. While we wish we could return to all standard inperson events, health and safety particles dictate we find alternate means of carrying out our obligations. Okay. So, let me remind members of a few remote procedures. First, consistent with the regulations the committee will keep microphones on mute. Members are respons