The FTC Consumer Protection and Business Supervisory Authority on Thursday launched an official inquiry on whether the providers on the Internet have not banned freedom of expression. At the end of his previous term, Trump threatened to deprive liability privileges that established very strong rules.
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“Technology companies should not disturb their users,” FTC manager Andreas N. Ferguson said. “This investigation will help FTC understand how these companies may have violated the law by silence and intimidating Americans because they said their opinion.” FTC sees two types of disappointment: ban on freedom of expression due to the ban on materials or users’ accounts – and restrictions on freedom of knowledge of those who no longer receive materials.
Now the affected people should report the rights of those who are known by the FTC – known by FTC as a censorship – and distribute cases. Censorship means historically the state intervention in freedom of expression, but in the discussion the restrictions are also extended by private actors, even if their intervention is due to the state.
Pay attention to shade restrictions and demonetisation
In one Questionnaire It is emerging that the FTC considers important under the new US government: shadow restrictions, ie an artificial limit reduction and demonetisation, ie contribution cannot be acquired by contribution, for example through upstream advertising. FTC is not only about the platform about the potential misconduct and violations of their use conditions, but also about cases in which users were approved due to behavior outside this contractual relationship.
Many questions responding to FTC almost reminds of the European regulator of the Digital Services Act, when it comes to the question of dealing with the decrease in account, material or range: here Trump wants to know if it is for it. Users gave opportunities to the providers to work against decisions. This is what is necessary in DSA in Europe.
Manufacturer platform in focus
The reasons with which the FTC process begins in the process, it is already perfectly away from which provider will be directed against it: especially in YouTube, Metas Instagram and other intensive manufacturer platforms, including materials in the past And accounts have been operated. The reluctance of today’s US President.
Part of the US-European Association
However, there is also another side of the investigation: US representatives such as Vice President James David Vance see a treason in various European perspectives at the limits of freedom of expression. Accordingly, the questionnaire also includes questions about how the platform is about the use or practices of the use. Apart from the question of whether advertisement has brought measures due to pressure from customers or other commercial partners or US authorities, it is clearly asked whether the intervention has come about “foreign governments or other foreign institutions” measures. The latter word means the European Union.
In its investigation, FTCs seem based on the implementation of Moderation, Demonatorization and Shadow Baning, mainly to doubt a pathology of competition. The result of the procedure should provide information about the question about the question to what extent the FTC works independently: at least X, East Twitter, competition from competition for example link blockade or mastodan or Finally to indicate. Whereas US President Trump recently agreed with Meta due to his lock after the attack on the capital.
If the FTC does not focus on at least other platforms, the reliability of the traditional authority will be largely damaged. Input is possible for investigation by the end of May 2025, then FTC wants to evaluate it.
(TLZ)
