{"id":2387944,"date":"2025-01-08T15:14:01","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T20:14:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rand-paul-metas-new-opposition-to-censorship-isnt-just-about-free-speech\/"},"modified":"2025-01-08T15:14:45","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T20:14:45","slug":"rand-paul-metas-new-opposition-to-censorship-isnt-just-about-free-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rand-paul-metas-new-opposition-to-censorship-isnt-just-about-free-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"Rand Paul: Meta&#8217;s new opposition to censorship isn&#8217;t just about free speech"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frand-paul-metas-new-opposition-to-censorship-isnt-just-about-free-speech%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2387944&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator Rand\u2062 Paul (R-KY) has criticized MetaS recent stance against censorship,\u200d suggesting that \u200dtheir motivations may extend beyond merely <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-rep-sabatini-left-having-absolute-mental-breakdown-over-free-speech-being-allowed-on-twitter\/\" title=\"Exclusive \u2014 Rep. Sabatini: Left Having \u2018Absolute Mental Breakdown\u2019 Over Free Speech Being Allowed on Twitter\">supporting free speech<\/a>. This discussion comes considering comments made by Federal Trade Commission\u200d Chairwoman\u2062 Lina Khan, who indicated that \u2063companies \u2064like Meta coudl be seeking favorable treatment in ongoing litigation\u200b with the FTC. Paul pointed out that Meta&#8217;s decision to remove\u2063 fact-checkers might reflect a dual intention: part lobbying for a deal \u2062and part an effort to promote free speech, especially with the upcoming\u200d Trump administration. He expressed concern\u200c over government\u2062 involvement with Big Tech in moderating content, labeling such actions as censorship rather then appropriate governance.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Rand Paul: Meta&rsquo;s new opposition to censorship isn&rsquo;t just about free speech<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1929789\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/rand-paul\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Rand Paul<\/a> (R-KY) said Meta&rsquo;s newly announced opposition to censorship content could go beyond supporting free speech, a proposition raised by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ftc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Federal Trade Commission<\/a> Chairwoman Lina Khan.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Khan shared her assessment during an interview <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iQoQq-sKlII\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">on CNBC&rsquo;s <em>Squawk Box<\/em><\/a>, indicating that companies such as Meta and Amazon could be seeking &ldquo;some type of sweetheart deal&rdquo; during litigation with the FTC. Upon being asked about Khan&rsquo;s suggestion, Paul said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/meta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Meta&rsquo;s<\/a> decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/technology\/3278641\/zuckerberg-following-musk-axing-fact-checkers-meta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">eliminate fact-checkers<\/a> is &ldquo;probably a little bit of both&rdquo; seeking a deal and wanting to support <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/free-speech\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">free speech<\/a> going into President-elect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a>&lsquo;s administration.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/3272727\/what-will-antitrust-enforcement-look-like-under-trump-2-0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">WHAT WILL ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE UNDER TRUMP 2.0?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;What I really don&rsquo;t like is the government talking with Big Tech and talking with social media and saying, &lsquo;Hey, we want you to take down this person&rsquo;s opinion on COVID, this person&rsquo;s opinion on vaccines, this person&rsquo;s opinion on Hunter Biden&rsquo;s laptop,&rsquo;&rdquo; Paul explained on Fox News&rsquo;s <em>Fox &amp; Friends<\/em>. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not a role of government, that&rsquo;s censorship. And Google can do whatever they want on their own, but the government should not be meeting with them with the FBI and others to pressure them, cajole them, coerce them into restricting speech.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 640px; max-height: 360px; min-width: 320px; min-height: 180px; overflow: hidden;\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/share.grabien.com\/share.php?id=2748258&amp;userid=11311&amp;loginid=9421&amp;playercolor=%23000000&amp;playersize=auto&amp;code=0637834fb0b8927c3cabd446cc44c474\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0px;\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Paul also said that the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">government pressuring social media<\/a> and technology companies to take certain actions is a violation of the First Amendment, adding that he has a bill that would stop that. Paul introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenRandPaul\/status\/1818662412029252064\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">the bill in question<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/senate-bill\/4859\/text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act<\/a>, with Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) and former Rep. Dan Bishop last year.<\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday, the Kentucky senator took a victory lap on social media about Meta&rsquo;s decision to axe its fact-checkers, describing it as &ldquo;a great birthday present to wake up to&rdquo; and a major victory for free speech in the nation.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Meta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Meta<\/a> finally admits to censoring speech&hellip;what a great birthday present to wake up to and a huge win for free speech. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LeTdJESdcJ\">https:\/\/t.co\/LeTdJESdcJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Rand Paul (@RandPaul) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RandPaul\/status\/1876614145275015357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 7, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained in a new video that its fact-checkers had become &ldquo;too politically biased,&rdquo; which damaged the trust Meta once had with the public. As such, the platform is adopting a community notes feature similar to the one used by X, allowing users &ldquo;to provide their own commentary to something that they&rsquo;ve read&rdquo; rather than leaving it up to fact-checkers.<\/p>\n<p>Zuckerberg has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3278492\/ultimate-fighting-championship-ceo-joins-meta-board-directors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">also announced that Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White<\/a>, an ally and friend of Trump, would join Meta&rsquo;s board of directors. White was one of several speakers at Trump&rsquo;s Madison Square Garden rally in October 2024 and was also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@realdonaldtrump\/video\/7375744699140721963?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7329936867989571118\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">featured in the first TikTok video Trump posted<\/a> to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/roger-stone-announces-he-will-sue-those-who-arrested-him-and-put-him-in-front-of-a-kangaroo-court\/\" title=\"Roger Stone Announces He Will Sue Those Who Arrested Him and Put Him In Front of a Kangaroo Court\">social media site<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1929789\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1929789\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rand Paul: Meta&#8217;s stance on censorship may have deeper motives<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2632,"featured_media":2387945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Rand-Paul-META-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6371,32311,9276,38952,32364],"class_list":["post-2387944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-censorship","tag-free-speech","tag-meta","tag-rand-paul","tag-social-media"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Rand-Paul-META-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2632"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2387944"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387944\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2387948,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387944\/revisions\/2387948"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2387945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2387944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2387944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2387944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}