What We're Reading at Issue One
The Issue One team had a very busy week attending hearings and celebrating the strides we’re making towards strengthening our democracy. Here’s what we’ve been keeping an eye on:
Social media companies are media companies. Congress should start treating them that way — The Hill?
Our Founder and CEO Nick Penniman brings a unique argument to holding Big Tech accountable. The immunity that protects social media platforms from answering for harmful content continues to devastate families and children.?
Our Council for Responsible Social Media is made up of experts and advocates that share this view – social media companies are media companies, and they deserve to be regarded as such for the benefit of the public and our democracy.
Recently, offensive and explicit AI-generated images of super star Taylor Swift circulated on X (formerly Twitter). The images were circulated so widely that X temporarily censored any content related to the pop star from appearing in user search results.
A 2023 report found that 99% of sexually explicit and abusive deepfakes were targeted at women, and Congress is taking notice that unchecked AI is a threat to all women and girls.?
‘Every noise makes you jumpy’: US election workers confront threats and abuse with resilience training —?The Guardian
Election administrators are still speaking out against the hostel environment they face due to threats and harassment. In this article, National Council on Election Integrity member Tina Barton and #FacesOfDemocracy campaign member Bill Gates share their stories.?
Issue One will continue to advocate for election worker safety and increased privacy protections to protect against doxxing, harassment, and threats..
In a healthy democracy, our votes are our voice. Hear South Carolina election workers recount a typical morning at the polls on an early voting day.
“We have to fight for democracy. I find that to be important for young kids to learn. Democracy was not ours. We had to earn it," says Charleston, SC, Precinct Clerk Anette Greene.?
Public invited to testing of Weld County voting equipment — Greeley Tribune
#FacesOfDemocracy member and Weld County, CO Clerk Carly Koppes and other Weld County election officials invited the public to test their voting equipment. This is a fantastic example of election administrators using transparency and community engagement to build trust in the security of our elections.?
Bonus: Check out our “Meet the #FacesOfDemocracy” Q&A with Koppes!
4 takeaways from a heated hearing with tech CEOs — The Hill?
Big Tech CEOs were in the hot seat once again during last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child safety. The CEOs of Meta, Snap, X, Discord, and TikTok gave a lackluster performance to an audience of parents and young advocates pushing for accountability.?
Our Council for Responsible Social Media (CRSM) members were in attendance to encourage Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill with strong bipartisan support and nearly 50 co-sponsors.?
Mother, activist, and CRSM member Kristin Bride was in the hearing room — listen to her react to the events of the hearing.?
Trump has no immunity from Jan. 6 prosecution, appeals court rules — The Washington Post
No one is above the law. It’s a shame to see that both current and former elected officials feel emboldened to make dangerous, anti-democratic comments in regards to our elections and the peaceful transfer of power.
Counsel, Contracts, Licenses, SaaS, Privacy, JD, CPCM, CIPP
1 年John McLaughlin started every McLaughlin Group segment with the words “Issue One…”.