Ahead of Senate hearing, Rick Scott likens Twitter, Facebook to Communist Chinese government
Rick Scott. Image via AP.

rick scott ap
The Senator has a beef with conservative censorship.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has a bone to pick with Big Tech, and Wednesday’s meeting of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation promises confrontation.

On Tuesday evening, Scott released a list of proposed questions for the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook, and Google regarding “censorship” by the tech giants.

One is especially provocative, boiling down to why Twitter and Facebook feel emboldened to act like the communist Chinese government.

“How are your actions any different than the Communist regime in China,” Scott plans to ask.

“Since Twitter and Facebook are blocked in Communist China, the Communist regime serves as the gatekeeper of information for their people, often blocking them from the truth of their oppressive regime. Considering your recent actions to block the New York Post article about Hunter Biden, you are essentially acting like gatekeepers of information as well,” Scott contends.

The story of Hunter Biden allegedly using his father’s name and influence to help forge business relationships has been one ignored largely on the left, while figures on the right have worked to promulgate it without taking ownership for the argument. The New York Post is still suspended from Twitter for disseminating the story.

Other questions, should they get aired, likely will prove provocative also.

“Why do you block, censor, and flag the Tweets of conservatives in America, like President Donald Trump or Leader Mitch McConnell, for ‘potential misinformation,’ while allowing dictators to spew their propaganda,” Scott intends to ask.

The Senator offered a statement explaining his position.

“The American people believe that when they sign up for these social media platforms, they won’t be blocked or kicked off because of their political views. These big tech CEOs are going to have to answer, on the record and under oath, why they are targeting conservatives and putting their thumb on the scale during this election,” Scott said in a release accompanying the questions.

“And they will have to answer why they continue to censor conservatives while giving dangerous dictators like Maduro and General Secretary Xi a platform to spew their lies and propaganda. They can’t just pick and choose which viewpoints are allowed on their platform and expect to keep the immunity granted by Section 230. It’s our responsibility to hold their companies accountable and protect Americans’ ability to speak freely.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


6 comments

  • James Robert Miles

    October 27, 2020 at 7:06 pm

    I don’t know why Scott doesn’t just STFU! He comes off more like a moron everytime that he opens his F’ing mouth, just like Trump!

  • Tjb

    October 27, 2020 at 9:45 pm

    It is censored because the information is an outright lie or a profoundly moronic conspiracy theory.

  • Ocean Joe

    October 27, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    Scott is lucky he didn’t pull his HCA shenanigans in China.

  • Sonja Fitch

    October 28, 2020 at 6:08 am

    Lol lol lol. Pathetic and sad watching nazi rick try to be relevant! Goes from one extreme to the next hoping to hit something! So far nazi rick
    Has just splattered his desperation in full view of the world! Lol lol. Vote Democrat up and down ballot for the common good!

  • DisplacedCTYankee

    October 28, 2020 at 10:05 am

    Idiots who “get their news” from Facebook elected Scott and President Shithead.

  • TED KRUZE

    October 28, 2020 at 12:46 pm

    Shouldabenafelon gets quirkier and wackier with every passing day. Maybe it’s just age and lack of mental competency catching up with him – or, maybe like his proto-master, Donnie Dipschitz, he was damaged goods from Day 1. How moronic are the Old Phartz in Florida that they actually elected this guy THREE TIMES!

    Pppffttt!

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704