Today let's examine a couple of issues that are facing our nation and impacting almost everyone on a daily basis.
This news came out of Washington D.C. this week. President Biden accused social media companies of "killing people' by allowing misinformation to be spread on their sites. (He was speaking in regard to Covid-19 information, which in his opinion, was spreading false information throughout the Internet)
Now we'll circle back to the phrase, "in his opinion", in a few moments. But for new let's examine the rather predictable reaction from the leaders of these tech companies - "We are doing the best we can" followed by the refrain, "We are not responsible for all the content on our sites."
The problem is they cannot occupy both sides of this issue . . .
Let's back up - all the way back to 1996. Congress passed something called The Communications Act which had this very interesting language built into Section 230. The bottom line is that since the Internet platforms of that time were merely acting as bulletin boards for public users, they could not be held liable for any of the content that was being posted. Anyone could post anything, no matter how unreasonable or outlandish, and the bulletin board couldn't be sued. The key was as long as the person in charge of the board didn't edit anything - they were safe from liability.
So in simple terms, based on Section 230, Big Tech companies were given immunity from responsibility and liability as long as they didn't act as publishers.
Hmm . . . anybody used social media recently?
Google edits search results, Twitter edits content, Facebook is spending millions trying to write alogromins that can accomplish this editing without the need for human interaction. They are all dictating their versions of the truth and banning the voices of the opposition. Which means that they are all in the publishing business! Which then means that they have moved out from underneath the protection of Section 230.
But social media platforms not only want it both ways - they want it all the way! They want to be in the publishing business, to influence others with their worldview, but with the freedom from liability that came with only being a bulletin board. As we say in the South, "that dog won't hunt".
Yet you can never discount the power of money and influence because what appears to be a cut and dry situation has yet to be brought to accountability. Don't believe me? Contact your representative and ask them why social media companies are still enjoying the protection of Section 230.
Go ahead - I'll wait . . . but you and I both realize that billions of dollars of industry is at stake and they will not go quietly into the night.
Which brings us to our other topic of interest - who gets to determine the facts? Who says yes to this post and no to the other? Who says this voice can speak and this one will be rendered silent? This is where President Biden and his administration is trying to influence the social media platforms to bow to his demands - check out the quote below if you don't believe me.
The Surgeon General last week was quoted in an interview saying, "Social media platforms have to recognize that they've played a major role in the increase in speed and scale with which misinformation is spreading in regard to covid vaccines."
So here we have another high ranking government official dictating their version of the facts to the social media industry in hopes of influencing we, the people. Do you see the problem? Who is to say what authority is behind the sweeping edits being practiced by FB, Twitter, and beyond? The political authority have interjected a hidden layer of influence between their words and the actions that will impact everyone who uses social media. This is not FDR chatting directly to our nation - this is a shadow government masquerading as the Tech we cannot live without.
So who determines the truth?
That is the ultimate foundational issue in this whole debacle - and that is where Christ followers are called to follow the authority that God has ordained over us until that authority calls us to disobey the laws of God. Then we are to separate ourselves and step off the path of obeying man and follow our allegiance to God. Being that He is all powerful, possesses all knowledge, is sustaining heaven and earth with His power, holds our eternity in His hands, and is the Creator of everything we can see as well as the unseen, His truth will be the authority that I will align my decisions, and my life.
I get it - this is a crazy time to have to sift through mountains of information in the hopes of making wise and prudent decisions. Who has that kind of time and energy? And it's not like that is the only pressing objectives in our lives. Our economy is in shambles, the inflation rate is rising faster than it did under Jimmy Carter, crime is soaring, personal responsibility is shrinking, climate change is intensifying, and morality's influence is daily being shoved into the dustbin of history.
I believe that it is impossible to live a life of peace and wisdom without spending time in His Word, and allowing Him to change our thoughts and hearts. Only then can we truly see the world for what it is, and react in the way that He would have us to act in these chaotic days.
