Sen. Michael Bennet requested information from several tech giants Tuesday about their efforts to respond to the spread of misinformation about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The Colorado Democrat sent a letter to the heads of Facebook-parent Meta, Google-parent Alphabet, TikTok and X — the platform formerly known as Twitter — expressing concerns about “false and misleading content” related to the conflict.
False claims about the conflict have spread rapidly on social media in the days since Hamas launched its initial attack on Israel, with old, unrelated photos and videos and even video game footage being misrepresented as current and genuine.
“In many cases, your platforms’ algorithms have amplified this content, contributing to a dangerous cycle of outrage, engagement, and redistribution,” Bennet said in Tuesday’s letter. “Your platforms have made particular design decisions that hamper your ability to identify and remove illegal and dangerous content.”
He pointed to several decisions by the tech companies, including recent cuts to teams focused on fact-checking and content moderation at X, Meta and Google.
“These decisions contribute to a cascade of violence, paranoia, and distrust around the world,” the senator said. “Your platforms are helping produce an information ecosystem in which basic facts are increasingly in dispute, while untrustworthy sources are repeatedly designated as authoritative.”
The letter follows a series of...
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