# Why is it Congress' Business Whether Facebook Discriminates? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 13, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716 "2016-05-13T21:29:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/21 "2016-05-15T02:29:14Z")
Huh … if Congress goes through and makes Facebook be more politically balanced … … what happens here on SDMB? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/22 "2016-05-15T02:58:06Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Huh … if Congress goes through and makes Facebook be more politically balanced … > > … what happens here on SDMB? I thought the left wanted the Fairness Doctrine back? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/23 "2016-05-15T03:29:32Z")
> [@spamforbrains](#): > > I was under the impression that all of the content on Facebook is put there by users, not by Facebook itself. If it’s not “conservative” perhaps that is because most conservatives are watching Fox instead of posting on Facebook? Lots of media outlets send news feeds to Facebook. And the stuff in question is what is trending. I’m not on it, but my impression is that each user can set up a newsfeed, and that is not affected at all. What is trending is clearly a judgement call. There is an algorithm, but the design of that can affect what comes out. Some people who worked there told the Times that they do use the credibility of the source as a criterion, so there goes Breitbart. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/24 "2016-05-15T03:42:15Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > I thought the left wanted the Fairness Doctrine back? The difference between this and the Fairness Doctrine is sharing of a public resource. The TV/radio spectrum is a finite public resource, its usage falling under government domain. If the Right would like Facebook regulated on the same terms as the Fairness Document, they have to stop undermining net neutrality and in the process admit that there’s nothing preventing conservatives from putting up their own Facebook equivalent and curating their own news however they see fit. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/25 "2016-05-15T04:30:02Z")
**HMS Irruncible** : Exactly so. No liberal ever tried to apply the fairness doctrine to subscription magazines, or privately-mailed newsletters, or blogs or podcasts. TV and Radio, yes, because those are defined as publicly-owned media. A great many of us want to see the Internet classified as a “common carrier,” so that the Internet connection itself has no responsibility for what goes over it, any more than the Post Office is responsible for the content of letters that get mailed. Someone can send me a death threat, and the Post Office isn’t guilty of any wrongdoing in delivering that letter to me. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/26 "2016-05-15T05:09:15Z")
I mean, you want your own conservative news slant on the internet? Go to Conservapedia. Go to RedState. Go to places I won’t mention. If you really want conservative echo chambers of stupid, the buffet is literally unlimited. Facebook doesn’t charge you anything or take any of your tax dollars. Embrace the private enterprise. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/27 "2016-05-15T05:19:31Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > It is kind of fascinating. After getting rid years ago of the so-called “fairness doctrine” in regulated broadcast media, how come they now want to pressure chanels in the web and social media into it. > > **Bayard** , I don’t think Facebook advertises itself as a “fair and balanced” news organization. They are not the content hosts anyway. > > Possible lines of intent or thinking: > > 1. Most conspiratorial: The Congressmen in question are making a Big Deal of it as part of a general thrust to hype up how Facebook/Google/Apple/etc. are un-American liberal leftist hipster-values nerd outfits, so as to rile up the base against those boogiemen for when they want to go after them on matters of privacy/surveillance, net neutrality, taxation, etc. See also: encryption. > > 2. Someone has noticed that conservatives are using Facebook/Google/etc. but have not been dominating the feeds in the same manner as, for instance, AM radio, and that RightWing sites are popular in the blogosphere but nowhere even in sight of the same ballpark as Facebook, and this is a strategy to rile up the base and whip up vocal demand for more conservative content (or for creating a ConservaBook). > > 3. A whole buncha Congressmen (and a whole buncha people in general) really really really can’t get their minds around the idea of these outfits being unregulated, private status be damned. Or being generous to their intelligence, they feel that the way people use social media it has become de-facto public utilities. 1. They’re looking to see if they can link Hillary to this in any way. Hey, you never know till you try. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/28 "2016-05-15T06:03:22Z")
Is it Congress’ business? Yes, if only to get answers. If Facebook claimed to be liberal or was generally understood to be liberal, then it wouldn’t matter. Since Facebook squelching conservative news is well, news to most people, Congress demanding answers was reasonable. However, Congress can’t actually do anything about it. Freedom of the press. As a general principle though, Congress can ask for explanations about any subject of national concern. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/29 "2016-05-15T08:10:07Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Is it Congress’ business? Yes, if only to get answers. If Facebook claimed to be liberal or was generally understood to be liberal, then it wouldn’t matter. Since Facebook squelching conservative news is well, news to most people, Congress demanding answers was reasonable. > > However, Congress can’t actually do anything about it. Freedom of the press. > > As a general principle though, Congress can ask for explanations about any subject of national concern. Would you say a congress person should spend their time seeking an explanation that they can do nothing about or would you rather they enquire about things that they actually can do something about? Since their time is not unlimited and we are footing the bill for what they do, I’m going to say it’s the latter. In other words, the fact that they can’t do anything about it is makes it none of their business. They aren’t acting as citizens but employees and what employees are tasked with wasting their company’s time? Lastly, in what way is Facebook content a subject of national concern? I don’t get it but then again, I don’t often use Facebook. Am I failing the nation somehow? I don’t want anyone concerned; I just don’t like Facebook. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/30 "2016-05-15T10:50:44Z")
Facebook has huge power as a media aggregator. Congress asks questions to raise the national profile of the issue, to get citizens more concerned, which has had the desired effect on Facebook. Although I’m not sure it would have mattered if Congress had gotten involved or not, since Facebook needs its conservative membership as much as their liberal membership. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/31 "2016-05-15T12:55:07Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Facebook has huge power as a media aggregator. Congress asks questions to raise the national profile of the issue, to get citizens more concerned, which has had the desired effect on Facebook. Although I’m not sure it would have mattered if Congress had gotten involved or not, since Facebook needs its conservative membership as much as their liberal membership. If you say so. I say concentrating on the trivial is far less important than solving the actual problems of your constituents but if this is what America would rather they spend their time on, they shouldn’t complain that nothing ever gets done. At least they’ll know that their congress has given Facebook a stern talking to, if they even bother to do that. I’m actually amused by the idea that Congress can actually raise the profile of an issue regarding Facebook. Facebook has a much higher profile than the Congress to most people so any news about them, people know. I don’t even use the product and I was aware of this before I heard the Congress was getting involved which I learned by reading this thread. Facebook did something wrong I get on my newsfeed right away, Congress saying anything about it? Crickets. I had to google it to even find a cite which I would not have done had I not read this thread. I agree that Facebook needs it’s conservative membership so this issue is being solved in spite of Congress who is just grandstanding to raise their own profile IMHO. See America, we really do care! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/32 "2016-05-15T13:02:46Z")
Like I mentioned in the other thread about this, this is a big story on FoxNews and among Republicans that regularly appear on FoxNews. And of course, they don’t see the obvious double standard. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/33 "2016-05-15T13:15:32Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Facebook has huge power as a media aggregator. Congress asks questions to raise the national profile of the issue, to get citizens more concerned, which has had the desired effect on Facebook. Although I’m not sure it would have mattered if Congress had gotten involved or not, since Facebook needs its conservative membership as much as their liberal membership. Some reason they can’t let the free market do it’s magic? ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/34 "2016-05-15T18:59:17Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > What do you mean by “raise hell?” > [@Trinopus](#): > > If a bunch of Congressmen want to talk about it on the chamber floor…let 'em. That’s free speech. This. > [@Trinopus](#): > > Liberals certainly gripe about Fox News. We just don’t try to get laws passed against them. Facebook is not a traditional news media outlet–in fact, Facebook does not describe itself as a journalistic enterprise. I find this comparison lacking merit. Also, the point here is that we need to raise awareness about this. Social media is meant to be a translucent relfection of the people–their lives, their thoughts, events in their lives, etc. Purposely censoring political speech of a particular bent should outrage all of us. This is not about “conservatards are dumb racist and evil so it’s okay.” At least, it shouldn’t be. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/35 "2016-05-15T19:13:04Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Social media is meant to be a translucent relfection of the people–their lives, their thoughts, events in their lives, etc. Social media is a medium for selling advertisements, same as conventional media. Social media outlets will manipulate their structure to do what they think will lead to the most profitable selling of ads, same as conventional media. If that means that social media filters news differently than AM talk radio because its demographics are different, well, whatever. Zuckerberg not displaying certain stories is no different than Limbaugh not putting alternative viewpoints on the air. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/36 "2016-05-15T19:14:36Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > This. > > Facebook is not a traditional news media outlet–in fact, Facebook does not describe itself as a journalistic enterprise. I find this comparison lacking merit. > > Also, the point here is that we need to raise awareness about this. Social media is meant to be a translucent relfection of the people–their lives, their thoughts, events in their lives, etc. Purposely censoring political speech of a particular bent should outrage all of us. This is not about “conservatards are dumb racist and evil so it’s okay.” > > At least, it shouldn’t be. It’s is an unregulated, private company. They can and will do exactly what they want. But if you’re really that upset about it, go found your own private company catering to conservative interests and you can censor all the liberal posts you want. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/37 "2016-05-16T13:39:10Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Is it Congress’ business? Yes, if only to get answers. If Facebook claimed to be liberal or was generally understood to be liberal, then it wouldn’t matter. Since Facebook squelching conservative news is well, news to most people, Congress demanding answers was reasonable. Why is it Congress’ role to get answers? As I understand it, Congress’ role in getting answers is to decide whether any new laws might be needed. Other than in such situations, why should they have the right to demand answers from anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/38 "2016-05-16T14:36:17Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Also, the point here is that we need to raise awareness about this. No, we don’t, because there is no “this” there. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/39 "2016-05-16T16:03:47Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > We’ll build a beautiful HYOOOOGE tremendous firewall.😛 and make them pay for it:p ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716/40 "2016-05-16T21:17:04Z")
Somehow, I’m guessing Breitbart and The Drudge Report will magically escape the notice of all the people horribly upset by this. Note to posters: _No_ non-broadcast news site has _any_ obligation whatsoever to be Fair and Balanced. (And the rules on broadcast news were weakened tremendously under Reagan.) Whether Facebook is a news site or not _does not matter in the least_. If you don’t like politics of a site, don’t go there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-congress-business-whether-facebook-discriminates/754716.md?page=3)