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
New York Times Slams YouTube for ‘Arbitrary’ Censorship of Left-Wing Channel
The New York Times published an article late Thursday castigating YouTube for removing the channel of British left-wing news channel Novara Media. The article, titled “How a Mistake by YouTube Shows Its Power Over Media,” criticized the tech platform’s “opaque and sometimes arbitrarily enforced” rules, describing the company as an information “gatekeeper.” Novara, a British news…Ailan Evans -
- News
Lawsuit Targets Massachusetts Public School System for Racial Segregation, Censoring Students
A Massachusetts public school system is actively promoting racially segregated student groups and a “bias reporting program” that encourages students to report instances of their peers’ biases to school officials for disciplinary action, a lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges. Parents Defending Education filed the lawsuit against the Boston-area Wellesley Public Schools Tuesday in the U.S. District…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- News
YouTube Censors Popular Comedian for Suggesting ‘Trans People Pose a Rape Threat to Women’
More than 5 million users follow Steven Crowder’s popular late-night comedy show on YouTube, but the video platform has frozen his channel for a week over an episode spotlighting California’s decision to house biological males in women’s prisons. “We removed content from and issued a strike to the StevenCrowder channel for violating our hate speech…Mary Margaret Olohan -
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American Principles Project Back on YouTube After Backlash Ends Censorship
YouTube temporarily “terminated” the American Principles Project’s YouTube channel over Columbus Day weekend, contending that the pro-family organization had violated its terms of service by reuploading content from a “previously terminated channel.” Following backlash from conservatives and lawmakers, YouTube reinstated the American Principles Project’s account Tuesday. Google told The Daily Signal that the decision to…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- Opinion
Conservative Activist Calls Out Facebook for Suppressing His Posts
For more than a decade, Texas native Don Kirchoff has used Facebook to share news and information with fellow conservatives. The longtime Heritage Foundation supporter and Heritage Action Sentinel frequently posts articles from The Daily Signal as well as content from other conservative organizations and media outlets. But is anyone seeing them? Many of Kirchoff's…Robert B. Bluey -
- Opinion
Troubling Twitter Censorship and Far Left’s Attempt to Erase ‘Women’
Twitter slapped a “sensitive content” label last week on a Daily Signal video report from 2017 on a mounted Border Patrol unit. The 4-minute video provides an inside look at why the Border Patrol historically has used horses. Twitter initially denied suppressing the video, but eventually admitted to censoring the content and lifted the block…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
Facebook Smeared Me With Its ‘Fact-Checking.’ Now, I’m Suing the Tech Giant.
I just sued Facebook. I didn’t want to sue. I hate lawsuits. I tried for a year to reach someone at Facebook to fix things, but Facebook wouldn’t. Here’s the problem: Facebook uses “independent fact-checkers” to try to reduce fake news on its site. That’s a noble goal. Unfortunately, at least one Facebook “fact-checker” is…John Stossel -
- Opinion
Even RBG Can’t Escape Censorship From New Leftists
The American Civil Liberties Union tweeted a botched quote on Sept. 18 that the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg supposedly told the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearings in 1993. On the one-year anniversary of Ginsburg’s death, the American Civil Liberties Union attributed the following quote to her: “The decision whether or not to…Nicole Russell -
- News
Facebook Reveals How It Decides What Content to Suppress
Facebook released its updated Content Distribution Guidelines on Thursday, shedding more light on how the tech giant decides what content it suppresses. While Facebook has previously provided some details on the types of content that receive reduced distribution in Facebook’s News Feed, the updated guidelines are designed to provide clarity and accessibility, Director of Product…Ailan Evans -
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Texas Governor Signs Bill Barring Social Media Companies From Censoring Views
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed a law Thursday preventing social media companies from banning users for their political views. The law, known as HB 20, prohibits social media platforms from banning or suspending users and removing or suppressing their content based on political viewpoint. The bill was introduced by state Sen. Bryan Hughes partly…Ailan Evans -
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TikTok Promotes Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol to Kids, Investigation Finds
Video-sharing platform TikTok promotes sexual content to underage users through its suggestion algorithm, according to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal. Investigators for The Wall Street Journal set up 31 fake TikTok accounts registered to users between the ages of 13 and 15 and studied their “For You” feeds, which consist of videos recommended to users…Ailan Evans -
- Opinion
Left Doesn’t Just Want to Censor You on Social Media. It Also Wants to Close Your Bank Accounts.
When White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that people who spread “misinformation” “shouldn’t be banned from one platform and not others,” she revealed the left’s chilling plan for censoring content that goes against the left’s narrative. It is becoming increasingly clear that political leaders on the left and Big Tech are joining arms to…Annelise Butler -
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Texas Targets Social Media Titans Over Viewpoint Censorship
The Texas state Senate passed a bill Tuesday that aims to curb perceived political censorship by social media companies. The bill, introduced by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, would prohibit social media platforms from “censoring” users based on their viewpoints. “Censoring” includes actions such as removing content, banning users, demonetizing users, and suppressing posts, according to the bill. Users…Ailan Evans -
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Most States Appeal Antitrust Case Against Facebook
State and territorial attorneys general are appealing a federal judge's dismissal of their antitrust complaint against Facebook. The complaint, filed Wednesday by 48 state and territorial attorneys general and led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, was dismissed in June, along with a complaint brought by the Federal Trade Commission. The attorneys general alleged Facebook illegally…Ailan Evans -
- Opinion
‘Mainstream Media Doesn’t Represent Mainstream America,’ Babylon Bee CEO Says
The so-called mainstream media has lost touch with real America, says Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee, a Christian website that specializes in satire. “Whatever you want to call it, the mainstream media doesn’t really represent mainstream America, so I do think that’s a misnomer,” Dillon says, adding: It comes out in a lot…Rachel del Guidice -
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Democrats’ Bill Would Hold Facebook, Other Social Media Liable for ‘Health Misinformation’
Senate Democrats introduced legislation Thursday removing liability protections from online platforms that promote content deemed health misinformation. The bill, proposed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Ben Ray Lujan, seeks to carve out an exception from Section 230 liability shields enjoyed by online platforms, such as Facebook or YouTube, if those platforms boost content classified as health…Ailan Evans -
- Opinion
What Type of Speech Will Biden Ask Facebook to Suppress Next?
“They’re killing people.” That was the simple declarative sentence President Joe Biden uttered in response to a question a reporter asked him July 16 as he left the White House. “On COVID misinformation, what’s your message to platforms like Facebook?” the reporter had shouted as the president was walking toward Marine One. Biden turned and…Terence Jeffrey -
- Opinion
Biden Administration Needs to Take the Kid Gloves Off When Reacting to China’s Cyberattacks
The United States, along with the European Union, the United Kingdom, and NATO, on Monday formally attributed a series of malicious cyberattacks to China. This includes the March cyberattack that targeted Microsoft’s Exchange Server software, carried out by a Chinese-based hacking group known as Hafnium. This formal attribution is part of a broader condemnation of…Dustin Carmack -
- News
Psaki Mum on Which Facebook Posts White House Flags as ‘Misinformation’
During a press conference Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki dodged addressing whether the White House would reveal which Facebook posts it flags as misinformation. Psaki said last week that the White House will flag posts deemed vaccine misinformation to Facebook. But the White House press secretary didn’t address Monday whether the White House will “publicly…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- News
White House Working With Facebook to Flag ‘Disinformation,’ Psaki Says
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that the White House is not only working with Facebook to flag disinformation on vaccines—it’s also asking Facebook to share data on the reach and engagement of posts deemed disinformation. “We’re flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread disinformation,” the White House press secretary said. Facebook, which…Mary Margaret Olohan