A lawyer who has worked on social media censorship believes the American left is engaging in blatant censorship and guilty of “gross abuses of government power.”
“We want to bring you all back to the Biden administration,” Ryan Bangert, senior adviser at Alliance Defending Freedom, told CBN News earlier this year. “At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the White House has begun privately relying on social media companies, including Meta, to remove messages that contradict the White House’s priorities on the coronavirus, such as masks, vaccinations, and stay-at-home orders.”
“And there was a concerted campaign by individuals within the White House to force social media to remove any messages or voices that contradicted the party line,” he continued.
Bangert condemned these issues, saying they amount to inadequate censorship and point to government abuses that cannot be ignored.
“For years, we have seen efforts by the left to engage in blatant censorship of what it calls disinformation, disinformation, and deformities,” he continued.
Bangert said recent political changes by the new administration have provided an opportunity for some social media companies to recognize the nefarious elements at the hands of the government.
“I think what you’re seeing is an opportunity for them to bounce back and recognize that what’s been happening over the last four years is completely inconsistent with the core values of the First Amendment, which protects free speech, free thought, and free conscience,” Bangert said. “We’ve been talking about this for years. Social media is really the new public square and will always be the new public square. It needs to be a place for free discussion.”
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He said Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement earlier this year that the social media giant would take steps to “restore freedom of expression” on its platforms, including Facebook, showed there was an effort to right the ship.
Still, Bangert warned that the problem of censorship is not going away, noting that the prevalence of censorship continues to grow around the world.
“Global censorship remains… a reality,” he said, adding that it was a “growing problem around the world.” “It’s not going to end or be defeated with a few executive orders.”
He cited ADF clients facing repercussions for praying silently outside abortion clinics, among other worrying signs. There are also members of the Finnish parliament.Ent Paivi Lehsenen faced a legal battle and possible prison sentence after sharing a Bible verse promoting biblical marriage.
Although such events are not occurring in the United States today, Bangert cautioned people not to become too comfortable.
“Don’t tell me that can’t happen here,” he said. “Even though there are new winds blowing here in the U.S., the risk is always there. Things could reverse. So we have to be vigilant.”
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