Social media companies distrusted by most Americans on content decisions - poll

By Elizabeth Culliford

 

FILE PHOTO: The Twitter and Facebook logo along with binary cyber codes are seen in this illustration taken November 26, 2019. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - Most Americans do not trust social media companies to make the right decisions about what should be allowed on their platforms, but trust the government even less to make those choices, according to a poll released on Tuesday by Gallup and the Knight Foundation.

 

The debate over online content moderation, already in the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic and run-up to the U.S. election, has intensified in recent weeks as Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc diverged on how to handle inflammatory posts by President Donald Trump.

 

Here are some key poll findings:

 

WHAT SHOULD BE ALLOWED?

 

The new poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans favor letting people express their views on social media, including views that are offensive.

 

However, 85% of respondents favored removing intentionally false or misleading health information and 81% supported removing intentionally misleading claims about elections or other political issues.

 

Respondents were more critical of companies doing too little than too much in policing harmful content. Seventy-one percent of Democrats and 54% of independents thought companies were not tough enough, whereas Republicans were more divided.

 

WHO SHOULD MAKE THE RULES?

 

Eight in 10 respondents said they do not trust Big Tech to make the right decisions on content. Most preferred companies making these rules over the government, though a slim majority of Democrats favored the government setting content limits or guidance.

 

Respondents tended to prefer the idea of having independent content oversight boards to govern policies, with 81% saying such boards were a good idea. Facebook is in the process of setting up an oversight board, which will hear a small number of content cases and can make policy recommendations.

 

KEEP KEY INTERNET LAW?

 

Almost two-thirds of respondents said they supported in principle the law that shields major internet companies from liability for users' content, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which Trump and many lawmakers are pushing to pare back.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-16

 

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Americans are still children, when it comes to tolerating stronger views and tolerating sophisticated (they think raw) strong opinions about anything. They need more time to cope with life's realities. They'll get there eventually.

 

The indoctrination from the birth, during the fragile schooling years, does not help at all. Independent thinking is highly required, but that is available only for the best and the brightest. Those who are chosen to lead the nation, most often for their and their families personal gain. 

 

It's unfortunate that this attitude is reflected and amplified by the social media. 

 

What could be done differently? 

 

Good, clear and free education, which doesn't prepare a person to become a good solder, would be a good start. Increase and lift independent thinking would be another. Teach the kids, to be really free, is to think really free. 

 

Unfortunately many of the suppressive cultures don't like that kind of thinking. Many of those cultures and countries are now lead by incompetent populist leaders. 

 

The same applies to the social media platforms. Those which let free speech to flourish, will eventually do well. Those which support bubbling, in the name of 'keeping peace', will not. But all this takes time for people to catch up, what these platforms are about. 

 

It's time to wait and see. 

Not even a topic or debatable. Nothing has changed.

 

If you wanted to go out on a street corner 50 years ago with a sign that said "Covid 19 is our savior", you could. And, you can and should be able to do that today. Just because it is on FB and not a street corner makes absolutely no difference. 

 

There is no authentic discussion or debate here assuming a free speech system. This is just another avenue government and the wealthy will use to control our freedoms to their advantage. That is all it is, and they do it in a way that makes it sound like they are doing you a favor, which is the most disgusting part. 

There's free speech and there's outright lies that spread like wildfire.

My English friend reposted some nonsense that no MSM had covered the death of Keith Palmer, constable who responded to that bridge incident near Parliament (I think it was Parliament).

No coverage was total BS, but if it fits your bias, why fact check?

In less than 2 minutes I found multiple BBC stories on Keith, memorial, on and on, and added links in my post reply.

Be it right or left, I like to look into outrageous claims. Dig up the facts and post as reply. It's not all that hard.

Have I ever been thanked? No. Friend who reposted some story said his friend would like to meet and beat me.

Too many people are like baby birds, will swallow what ever is dropped into their gaping mouths

 

what they need is a refresher course run by tv mods to bring them back to the righteous path.

 

22 hours ago, TheDark said:

Americans are still children, when it comes to tolerating stronger views and tolerating sophisticated (they think raw) strong opinions about anything. They need more time to cope with life's realities. They'll get there eventually.

 

The indoctrination from the birth, during the fragile schooling years, does not help at all. Independent thinking is highly required, but that is available only for the best and the brightest. Those who are chosen to lead the nation, most often for their and their families personal gain. 

 

It's unfortunate that this attitude is reflected and amplified by the social media. 

 

What could be done differently? 

 

Good, clear and free education, which doesn't prepare a person to become a good solder, would be a good start. Increase and lift independent thinking would be another. Teach the kids, to be really free, is to think really free. 

 

Unfortunately many of the suppressive cultures don't like that kind of thinking. Many of those cultures and countries are now lead by incompetent populist leaders. 

 

The same applies to the social media platforms. Those which let free speech to flourish, will eventually do well. Those which support bubbling, in the name of 'keeping peace', will not. But all this takes time for people to catch up, what these platforms are about. 

 

It's time to wait and see. 

Agree with virtually everything you say, and would only add that much of it is at true about the UK as it is about the US.

 

The ignorance of British children regarding their history and culture is an indictment of system which is less education, more indoctrination into "progressive" ideologies.

 

"Winston who?"

Edited June 17, 20206 yr by Krataiboy