President Donald Trump signed an executive order upon his return to the Oval Office, with the aim of restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship of US citizens. The order prohibits federal officials from engaging in conduct that would infringe on the free speech rights of American citizens and directs the attorney general to investigate potential censorship efforts by the Biden administration.
The order highlights concerns that the federal government has encroached on the constitutionally protected speech rights of Americans under the guise of combating misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. This move comes in response to claims by right-wing media figures and some Republicans in Congress who allege that Democrats and technology platforms have been censoring their speech online, particularly regarding topics such as the Covid-19 pandemic and elections.
Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that the US government can communicate with social media companies about misinformation circulating on their platforms. While conservatives see Trump's order as a step towards ending government collusion with Big Tech platforms, disinformation experts caution that it may exacerbate the spread of false information on social media, especially during crises.
Nina Jankowicz, former head of the Biden administration's disinformation board and current CEO of the American Sunlight Project, criticized the order for perpetuating lies and conspiracy theories about those combating disinformation. She described it as an assault on reality that could embolden foreign actors and disinformation profiteers. Other experts raised concerns about the potential chilling effect the order could have on the relationship between government agencies and tech platforms, potentially impacting national security.
