Staff Reports
President Biden and journalist John Harwood had an interesting conversation about the spread of misinformation and the role of social media in it. Harwood asked the president if right-wing media outlets that spread lies about the 2020 election pose a threat to democracy, to which Biden replied that they do. He pointed out one of the problems being the lack of editors who can filter out false information. Biden even mentioned that he has spoken to several serious reporters who expressed concerns about raising important issues if it means not getting enough attention.
When Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter came up in the conversation, Harwood asked if it has contributed to the rise of misinformation. President Biden acknowledged that it does, considering the changing dynamic of news consumption and the lack of certainty about the truthfulness of online information. He likened social media to the invention of the printing press, suggesting that people now rely on the internet for news without having any idea if it’s accurate or not.
The conservative perspective sees Biden’s remarks as an attack on right-wing media outlets and free speech. While there is no denying that misinformation is a problem, blaming it solely on one side of the political spectrum is unfair and biased. Biden’s comments only serve to further the liberal agenda of suppressing conservative voices. The idea that online platforms like Twitter should be more heavily regulated to combat misinformation is a slippery slope towards censorship and government control over free expression.
Elon Musk’s rebranding of Twitter as “X” and his disdain for traditional media outlets is an example of a successful entrepreneur questioning the old ways of doing things. Musk argues that mainstream media is filled with propaganda and prefers to get his news from Twitter, where he believes he can find a variety of perspectives and subject matter experts. His approach aligns with the conservative belief in individualism and skepticism towards mainstream media institutions. Musk’s embrace of social media as a platform for news is a refreshing departure from the biased narratives often found in legacy media.
