House Democrats are pressuring cable and streaming services over their decisions to host channels accused by lawmakers of spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories that lead to “real world damage.”
Repetitions. Anna Eshoo
Anna Georges EshooHillicon Valley: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. | YouTube research | Amazon lawsuit | Trump Notes YouTube Still Pushing Videos Of White Supremacy: Study Hillicon Valley: Ballots Go Out in Alabama’s Amazon Union Fight | Hackers break down, try to poison Florida water supply | Facebook to remove MORE messages with false claims about vaccines (California) and Jerry McNerney
Gerlad (Jerry) Mark McNerneyHillicon Valley: Judge’s verdict creates new hurdle for TikTok | House Hires Bills To Protect Energy Sector From Cyber Attacks | Biden campaign urges Facebook to remove Trump messages spreading ‘falsehoods’ House passes bills to protect energy sector from cyberattacks Trump administration signs AI research and development deal with UK MORE (California), senior members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, sent letters to the companies Monday questioning their “ethical principles” when deciding which channels to offer and when to take action against a channel.
“Some alleged news outlets have long been rumor mills for misinformation and hotbeds of conspiracy theories producing content that leads to real harm,” they wrote.
“Misinformation on TV has led to our current polluted information environment that is radicalizing individuals to commit inflammatory acts and rejecting public health best practices, among other issues in our public discourse.”
The letter specifically mentions Newsmax, One America Network (OANN) and Fox News.
A Fox News Media spokesperson said the letter “sets a terrible precedent.”
As the most watched cable news channel in 2020, FOX News Media provided millions of Americans with in-depth coverage, breaking news coverage, and clear opinion. When individual members of Congress draw attention to political speeches they dislike and require cable distributors to engage in discrimination, it sets a terrible precedent, “the spokesman said in a statement.
Lawmakers also asked for information on how many users tuned in to the stations in the weeks leading up to the election and the riot at the Capitol.
Eshoo and McNerney sent letters to traditional cable providers, including Verizon and Comcast, as well as technology companies that offer channels as part of streaming services, including Amazon, Google, Apple, Roku, and Hulu.
Amazon said the company is reviewing the letter.
Spokespersons for the other networks and the providers did not immediately respond to comments.
The letter sets the tone for what will likely be a controversial committee on Wednesday hearing on “media disinformation and extremism”.
Democrats and Republicans have been divided on the issue in the past, most notably in October over tech platforms’ decision to limit the spread of a New York Post story that included allegations about Hunter Biden, the now- son.President Biden
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The story soon aroused skepticism about its provenance and findings, but when the tech giants kept its spread online, Republicans widely criticized the companies for censoring content and an anti-conservative bias.
Republicans are expected to bring up the controversy over the Post story again on Wednesday.
A Republican committee spokesman was not immediately available for comment when asked about Eshoo’s and McNerney’s letters.
Democrats, however, may focus on driving misinformation about elections and the role it may have played in leading to the deadly January 6 uprising at the Capitol. The letter Eshoo and McNerney sent Monday highlights ways the stations are spreading false claims about the election. , as well as the way the riot in the Capitol was covered.
The letter also discusses reports of misinformation about COVID-19 reportedly shared by Newsmax, OANN and Fox News.
– Updated at 12:36 pm