This is a snapshot of a May 2020 tweet posted by Donald J. Trump on a Twitter account he created in March 2009, seven years before he received the Republican Party presidential nomination which eventually saw him elected 45th President of the United States of America in November 2016.
Trump's reaction was to threaten to create an executive order designed to punish any social media platform, website or search engine which factchecks the est. 16,000 egregious lies he has told in the last four years.
A draft of this six-page executive order has been released.
Draft Presidential Executive Order Created by Donald J. Trump allegedly to prevent online censorship by clarencegirl on Scribd
https://www.scribd.com/document/463420840/Draft-Presidential-Executive-Order-Created-by-Donald-J-Trump-allegedly-to-prevent-online-censorshipThis draft executive order describes fact checking or the removal of inappropriate content under terms of service as "selective censorship".
It also seeks to establish a right of the Trump Administration to monitor and create watch lists of those fact checking conservative politicians or using/interacting with any general search engine, social media platform or individual account (by way of likes, follows, time spent) allegedly employing this "selective censorship" and, to monitor all other online activities of such people.
On 28 May 2020 the White House press Public Pool noted that an executive order had apparently been signed*:
From: Thomas Howell
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 4:01 PM
Subject: In-town #14 — EO signing remarks
Trump is at his desk in Oval for EO signing ...Bill Barr is here
“We’re here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers,” referring to tech ‘monopoly’
Says “They’ve had unchecked power” to censor and restrict human interaction “We cant allow that to happen”
He says these tech companies have “points of view“
Sees bipartisanship, says Democrats are saying ‘this is about time something is done’
Says Twitter is acting as an editor ‘with a viewpoint’
Complains about fact check, calls it ‘political activism’
Says tech platforms have more reach than newspapers and other media
Notes Twitter et al get liability shield based on neutral platform
EO would
-Looks to regulate Section 230 to remove liability shield if companies act to censure or edit content
-Says AG Barr will work with states on own regs
- will Develop policies to make sure tax dollars don't go to companies that suppress free speech
Trump predicts lawsuit, wants legislation though
‘We’re fed up with it’
Asked why not delete his account, Trump says:
‘The news is fake’
‘If we had fair press in this country I would do that in a heartbeat’
Barr:
Barr says tech companies are acting as ‘publishers’ after amassing huge power Says EO would return section 230 to intended scope
Will draft legislation for Congress
‘A bit of a bait and switch that’s occurred in our society”
Referring to networks that were supposed to be free forums, but now flexing power
Tom Howell Jr. White House correspondent
The Washington Times 240-xxx-xxxx (mobile)
Donald Trump - lacking insight or adequate impluse control - then upped the ante on 29 May 2020 with another two tweets. The second of which threatened use of lethal force against U.S. citizens.
This caused Twitter to restrict viewing so that a reader had to make a concious decision to look at that particular tweet by clicking on "View":
What is happening here?
A social media company hosting realtime micro-blogging is firmly insisting that it has a right to enforce its rules of service on all 45 million of its accounts world-wide without fear or favour.
Trump may be finally crossing the social media Rubicon and is now fated to metaphorically die in a few inches of muddy river water before reaching the other shore.
Note
* Final text of Executive Order signed on 28 May 2020 not yet released
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