IT & Technology News
Reporting on information technology, cybersecurity, and tech policy. The Daily Signal includes analysis, commentary, and opinion on technology’s impact.
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- News
Fired Googler Warns Social Media Users About Censored Speech
Bias and mass censorship from extraordinarily powerful tech companies create an enormous problem that Americans have to come to terms with, says a former Google employee who was fired for his politically incorrect views. While tech companies in Silicon Valley and elsewhere are incentivized to create a “safe and civil” environment for their customers, problems…Jarrett Stepman -
- News
Daily Caller Is One Step Closer to Becoming Facebook Fact-Checker
The Daily Caller is now part of the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network, which is one of the necessary qualifications to become an official fact-checker for Facebook and Google. The news organization’s Check Your Fact project is “loyal to neither people nor party—only the truth.” The Daily Caller is now one of only two conservative…Kyle Perisic -
- Opinion
Facebook Suspended Me for Sharing My Religious Beliefs About Homosexuality
Editor’s note: After The Daily Signal contacted Facebook for a response to this op-ed prior to publication, the company notified author Michelle Rioux as follows: “A member of our team accidentally removed something you posted on Facebook. This was a mistake, and we sincerely apologize for this error. We've since restored the content, and you…Michelle Rioux -
- Opinion
How Congress Can Help Protect US Companies From Cyberattack
One of the fastest growing threats to the United States lies in the realm of cyberspace. With the touch of a button, foreign hackers and malicious governments can deliver blows to the U.S. economy by targeting American companies. Recognizing the need to address this issue, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, asked Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen…Paul Fredrick -
- News
Google Removes Fact-Check Feature Targeting Conservative Media
Google says it is discontinuing its fact-check feature because it proved to be too faulty for public use, directly attributing the decision to an investigation by The Daily Caller News Foundation. The company has no date set for when it will return, if ever. “We launched the reviewed claims feature at the end of last…Eric Lieberman -
- News
Washington Post: We Didn’t Attack The Daily Caller, and Don’t Know Why Google Is
Google’s relatively new “fact check” feature proves there’s something fundamentally wrong with at least some of its highly influential algorithms, after an investigation by The Daily Caller News Foundation found that the widget is both blatantly biased and tremendously faulty. The most powerful search engine in the world and a massive arbiter of online information, Google…Eric Lieberman -
- News
Twitter Says Employees Were Openly Speaking of Censorship ‘in a Personal Capacity,’ Not for Company
Twitter says that individuals shown in an undercover video casually talking about how they plan on censoring certain viewpoints on the social media platform were speaking only “in a personal capacity.” They “do not represent or speak for Twitter,” a company spokeswoman said. The video in question, secretly recorded by Project Veritas, shows eight current…Eric Lieberman -
- Opinion
Podcast: Google’s Double Standard for Conservative, Liberal News Sites
The Federalist’s David Harsanyi joins us today to discuss why Google is presenting “fact checks” to some conservative news sites like The Federalist and The Daily Caller, but not to other sites that have gotten issues wrong, such as CNN. Plus: we talk about whether Democrats are embarrassed about their tax reform “no” votes in…Katrina Trinko -
- News
Lawsuit Claims Rank Internal Bias at Google, Sweeping Commitment to Identity Quotas
James Damore, a former Google engineer who was fired after criticizing the company’s diversity policies, filed a class-action lawsuit against the tech giant Tuesday. The lawsuit describes a corporate culture in which managers and employees alike conspire to stifle conservative views and retaliate against conservative employees, while implementing race- and gender-based hiring and advancement criteria that…Kevin Daley -
- Opinion
Podcast: Former Employee Sues Google, Alleges Discrimination Against Conservatives
Former Google employee James Damore is suing Google, accusing the tech giant of discrimination against conservatives and whites. The Heritage Foundation’s Mike Gonzalez joins us to discuss that lawsuit, Silicon Valley’s diversity problem, and why the Census should stop dividing Americans into six ethnic categories. Plus: President Donald Trump shows his love for the national…Katrina Trinko -
- Opinion
The Numbers That Prove How Much the Mainstream Media Hate Trump
There may be fake news, but there’s no making up the media’s loathing of President Donald Trump. The press has been unrelenting toward this president since Day One—and the Media Research Center’s data proves it. Even the 89 percent negativity from his early months almost seem benevolent now, with numbers in the 91-93 percent range (the latter…Tony Perkins -
- News
French Kids May Soon Be Able to Have Sex 3 Years Before They Can Join Facebook
France is considering a new law that would require all children under the age of 16 to get parental approval to open a social media account. The legislation was introduced Wednesday as part of wider push to adapt data privacy regulations. “Joining Facebook will involve parental authorization for minors aged under 16,” said Nicole Belloubet,…Jacob Bojesson -
- Opinion
Podcast: Is Facebook Destroying Our Culture?
Is a former Facebook executive right about the evils of social media? We debate. Plus we talk about transgenderism and children, the Democrats’ attempts to get the Dreamers legalized, Lois Lerner’s ongoing fight, and whether Netflix shamed Christmas movie fans.Katrina Trinko -
- Opinion
Some Say Facebook and Amazon Should Be Broken Up. Here’s Why That Thinking Is Wrong.
Is it time for Congress to step in and dismantle Facebook, Amazon, and Google’s ever-expanding internet empires? In recent months, the left has raised sharp cries against the dangers of tech companies’ rapid growth and allegedly ironclad hold of their respective market spaces. Some critics have even argued that internet giants such as “Amazon, Google,…Alden Abbott -
- News
Growing Number of Americans Oppose Government Regulation of Social Media
Last week’s congressional hearings with Facebook, Twitter, and Google may have had the opposite effect of what lawmakers intended. A new poll from Axios and SurveyMonkey reveals that “more Americans are now wary of the government going too far to regulate web platforms than before the hearings,” according to Axios’ David McCabe. Representatives from Facebook,…Robert B. Bluey -
- Opinion
Conservative Group Claims YouTube Is Censoring Its Videos
“We believe everyone should have a voice,” YouTube has said. Everyone, it seems, but conservatives. The internet’s biggest video warehouse isn’t exactly new to the censorship debate. After run-ins with Lila Rose, David Daleiden, and other pro-lifers, people were already suspicious that YouTube was picking sides in the culture debates. Now, after watching YouTube block dozens…Tony Perkins -
- News
Here Are 2 of the Russian-Bought Facebook Ads That ‘Helped Sway the Election’
Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del., shared two Russian-bought Facebook ads Tuesday during a congressional hearing on the foreign adversary’s attempts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. One post, published by a page called “Being Patriotic,” promoted an apparently phony event in Pennsylvania for “Miners for Trump” and advocated coal-mining jobs. Another alleged that former Secretary…Eric Lieberman -
- Opinion
Must-See Moments: Why Isn’t the Mainstream Media Covering Uranium One?
The Daily Signal’s Facebook Live show “Top 10” features the top news stories of the week, many of which often go underreported or misreported by the mainstream media. This week, Facebook censored conservative Phil Robertson’s video that shows him field dressing a duck because it was too “graphic” and “violent.” The left just doesn’t want kids…Daily Signal Staff -
- News
Facebook’s Newest Move Could Be Catastrophic for Publishers
Facebook is experimenting with the prospect of removing nonpromoted posts from users’ news feed, meaning smaller organizations that rely on the social media platform for free advertising and engagement may soon be cut off. The change would make the main news feed consist of both friends’ and sponsored posts, respectively, while a separate feed would…Eric Lieberman -
- News
Facebook Censors His Conservative Posts, Retired Accountant Contends
A retired accountant says Facebook has suspended and otherwise censored him multiple times since the 2016 presidential campaign for posting certain conservative content. Allen Muench, 62, a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, said he spends much of his time running a conservative Facebook page that often supports President Donald Trump and is critical of liberals….Casey Ryan