Trump warns social media companies against ‘silencing millions of people’

President Trump on Friday blasted efforts from social media companies to “censor” controversial messages and clamp down on “fake news,” urging tech companies to allow Americans to figure out the truth for themselves.

{mosads}The president’s message comes amid efforts by major social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to examine Russian election interference efforts on their sites, as well as moves from some companies to ban right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones from displaying his content on their platforms.

The president accused the companies of “silencing millions of people.”

“Social Media Giants are silencing millions of people. Can’t do this even if it means we must continue to hear Fake News like CNN, whose ratings have suffered gravely. People have to figure out what is real, and what is not, without censorship!” he wrote.

Social Media Giants are silencing millions of people. Can’t do this even if it means we must continue to hear Fake News like CNN, whose ratings have suffered gravely. People have to figure out what is real, and what is not, without censorship!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018

Trump’s remarks on social media censorship also come the same day that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey faces a deadline from House lawmakers to decide whether to testify next month before the House Energy and Commerce Committee over questions of conservative censorship or face a subpoena.

Lawmakers including committee chairman Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) are demanding answers over accusations that Twitter officials “shadow-banned” some conservatives due to their political viewpoints, a process that hides a user’s post from followers without their knowledge.

The president last month targeted Twitter for the reported practice and said that government would investigate the company over the shadow banning allegations.

Dorsey has maintained in interviews that his company does not shadow ban users for reasons of political viewpoint, adding that his content management team only polices bad behavior.

“We do not shadow ban according to political ideology or viewpoint or content, period,” Dorsey said during an interview.

“There’s a lot of nuance in everything that we’re facing,” he added. “We’re getting better and better, step by step.”