US President Joe Biden has urged people to speak out against racism and promised to persuade Congress to take more action to make social media corporations liable for inciting hatred.
At the United We Stand Summit of regional leaders, professionals, and survivors on Thursday, Biden declared that “white supremacists will not have the final word.”
When Biden stated that he wants Congress to “hold social media firms accountable for propagating hate,” the audience applauded him for standing up.
The removal of social media corporations’ special immunity and the imposition of considerably stricter transparency standards for all of them, Joe Biden demanded of Congress.
The White House has advocated for the repeal of Section 230, a statute that exempts internet businesses from being held accountable for user-posted information, as well as for stepping up antitrust and transparency enforcement against technology firms.
Large technological corporations also entered the conversation. YouTube said that it was stepping up its efforts to prevent “violent extremism” by eliminating materials that promote violent behavior with the intention of motivating people to hurt others, generate money, or recruit.
Microsoft announced that it was extending the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to identify violent threats that were likely to materialize and to use games to foster empathy.
The Joe Biden administration also provided $20 million earlier this week to dozens of organizations devoted to preventing hate-related violence. Two historically Black schools and institutions, as well as two organizations that support the LGBTQ community, were among the awardees.
Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on Wednesday, “Through the grant awards we are announcing today, we are equipping local communities and organizations — including those historically underserved — with needed resources so they can become more effective partners, strengthen our security, and help the American people feel safe and secure in our daily lives.
