Andrew Selepak, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Media Production, Management, and Technology lecturer and coordinator of the online master’s program with a specialization in social media, is quoted in “’Incestuous Relationship:’ Republican AGs’ Lawsuit Latest Fight Over Social Media’s Role in Public Discourse” posted on FOX17.com, WZTV-TV’s FOX-affiliate in Nashville, Tennessee.

The story focuses on a court fight between Republican attorneys general and the Biden administration over alleged collaboration with social media companies to censor conservative views in the name of fighting misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues. A lawsuit is the latest example in a growing list of fights between Democrats and Republicans on how to handle social media companies and where to draw the line between protecting free speech and ensuring people are not harmed by incorrect information.

“What we’re seeing from some of the emails that have been handed over is that a lot of government agencies are in contact with Meta, Twitter, YouTube, and Google and they are supplying these tech companies with their views on what they consider disinformation,” said Selepak. “It becomes concerning if you have the heads of federal agencies who are appointed by the president and who obviously have political views that align with the president. That can lead to an instance where you’re going to get emails, correspondence, and pressure from the CDC, HHS or DHS, saying ‘no, that’s disinformation, that is not what we are doing.’”

He adds, “I think it’s a good thing that there’s additional attention to the fact that these platforms — because of their algorithm, because the way they’re set up — have the ability to bury content or put content front and center in your timeline.”

“While it can be seen as an attack on the Biden administration, a lot of it comes down to the fact that there’s just such a lack of transparency as to how these platforms operate, that this is a way to kind of expose what’s going on, potentially for the hopes of forcing them into greater transparency,” Selepak said.

Posted: September 13, 2022
Category: Alumni News, College News
Tagged as: Andrew Selepak