Woah. Watched this panel - to discuss state AGs child harm lawsuits filed vs Facebook - hosted by/with three big tech / Facebook-funded orgs (ITIF, Chamber of Progress, NetChoice). They invited a Gen-Z activist who absolutely owned them (watch in full). My eight highlights. /1
She then points out that the main obstacle to her advocacy efforts on behalf of youth is Facebook’s $14,600,000 spent on lobbying against them which of course the other panelists benefit yet try to duck and suggest their principles are behind them not Facebook’s cash. /2
The Gen-Z advocate, Ava Smithing, who I had never heard of until this panel, likely was energized by offensive claims by the Facebook fronts like, “I can tell you these platforms are trying their best.” /3
Or Chamber of Progress, funded by Google and Facebook, suggesting Facebook is in the business of curating and using algorithms to “ensure high quality information” surfaces. Facebook is literally blocking news in a major nation right now and suppressing it globally. /4
Hysterical hyperbolic bluff moment were the multiple times when Facebook’s advocate at Chamber of Progress went out over her skis to threaten Facebook would just close shop for under 18 and so you’ll lose your platforms, kiddos, [if you don’t stop whining to regulators]… /5
After Smithing explained how kids don’t have the agency to just delete the Facebook app, there was another seemingly condescending pat on the back for Gen Z or millennials or whatever you call yourselves. /6
it’s important for bipartisan state AGs like @SeanReyesUT, @AGRobBonta, @NewYorkStateAG to know orgs funded by Facebook and Google like NetChoice and Chamber of Progress are publicly calling them out as not caring about child safety but trying to cover up their own failures. /7
And Facebook’s friends really don’t like the addiction comparison to big tobacco. Mr NetChoice has a bizarre recollection of tobacco settlements with state AGs which last I checked cost Billions with a B, outlawed targeting children and funded major health advocacy efforts. /8
On a related topic, just listened to a brilliant Daily from yesterday where @natashanyt @mikiebarb walk through the lawsuits and big tobacco analogy. 🙏 /9 nytimes.com/2023/11/15/pod…
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