Live from Dublin. I'm here for the 3rd set of International Grand Committee hearings tomorrow where Parliaments from around the world will hear from a number of witnesses on harmful content, political interference, hate and the structural problems enabling this harm.
The idea to bring democratic Parliaments together as a positive answer to need for info sharing & tech platforms resistance to answering questions globally. It was hatched by UK and Canadian Parliamentarians in a DC pub (as many good ideas are) on eve of Atlantic Council meeting.
There is a conference today with panels of academic and industry experts weighing in on issues ahead of the hearing tomorrow. The IGC has great momentum with US rep attending for first time. (note: many UK and Canada delegates won't be in attendance due to timing of elections).
here is my thread from the first IGC in London (Nov 27th, 2018)...warning, it's quite a Twitter rabbit hole and there are many others out there. and the second in Ottawa (May 27th-29th, 2019)
I'll be sitting through the sessions today which are being conducted as Chatham House Rule but will share any key takeaways. Brilliant to have this day of dialogue to hear from so many global experts.
It's worth noting @mariaressa was first charged within days of first International Grand Committee hearing in UK. Her experience at Rappler is a global case study on intersection of these issues so was grateful Ressa testified at the 2nd Grand Committee.
@mariaressa Reuters first out of the block reporting on leaked internal Facebook documents establishing even more evidence of antitrust concerns. This clearly highlights the connection between data policy and competition policy which the world is awakening to quickly. reuters.com/article/us-fac…
“Opt-in to pervasive surveillance or opt-out of the modern world” by a panelist here is a pretty good way to capture the intersection of antitrust and data policy. It’s exactly how Google and Facebook force users into a Faustian bargain.
NBC News also reporting on the additional leaked internal Facebook documents. Gas on the Facebook antitrust, privacy and governance dumpster fire. nbcnews.com/news/all/leake…
woah, Monika Bickert, set to testify tomorrow to International Grand Committee of Parliaments, makes a # of appearances in leaked internal Facebook docs published today by NBC News. It turns out she was the lawyer in charge of Facebook "enforcement" in its controversial 2013. 
Reporting today suggests based on the internal leaked documents that Facebook made decisions to shut down apps access to data based on competitive considerations. Here are three screen caps showing Bickert's knowledge and awareness (highlight mine).
It only adds to an entirely offensive decision by Facebook to have Bickert testify as she was 1 of 2 execs who entirely misled @CommonsCMS on Cambridge Analytica. Just watch this testimony barely a month before scandal rocked globe. Why is she still giving evidence? on @ac360?
Watch how she also answers this question in the 2nd half of the clip. Again, this is February 2018 - two years after Cambridge Analytica concerns had kicked off a cover-up at Facebook. @aoc pressed Zuckerberg on the holes in Facebook's claimed timeline just a few weeks ago.
@AOC OK, enough on this. Just think this is important context when considering who Facebook has sent to answer questions by Parliamentarians from across the Atlantic and as far away as Australia and Singapore.
UK and Canada MPs have pressed Facebook on the timeline and answering questions but are absent tomorrow due to timing of their elections. I fully expect they'll keep pressing for answers when back. @bobzimmermp @beynate @CharlieAngusNDP @DamianCollins @IanCLucas @JoStevensLabour
@bobzimmermp @beynate @CharlieAngusNDP @DamianCollins @IanCLucas @JoStevensLabour Here is the full @NBCNews report from @oliviasolon @cfarivar for those searching for it. nbcnews.com/news/all/leake…
@bobzimmermp @beynate @CharlieAngusNDP @DamianCollins @IanCLucas @JoStevensLabour @NBCNews @oliviasolon @cfarivar why hello google and facebook. nbcnews.com/news/all/leake…
@bobzimmermp @beynate @CharlieAngusNDP @DamianCollins @IanCLucas @JoStevensLabour @NBCNews @oliviasolon @cfarivar meanwhile, there is more facebook news today than a long time. and the grand committee hearing isn't until tomorrow. 'Facebook accused of not co-operating with privacy probe' ft.com/content/d6a7e7…
We’re underway here for the third round of the International Grand Committee. First round of witnesses. @klillington cites activity in Philippines which connects back to @mariaressa who gave critical evidence regarding online harms at the last meeting of this committee.
Also on panel, @johnnyryan delivers strong evidence on unbridled data ecosystem feeding disinfo and starving legit media. @Moonalice with his unique view on how Facebook has undermined the health of our industry. @benimmo, brilliantly explaining why concerns should be growing.
Closing opening statement by @carolecadwalla who delivers prepared remarks on her incredible experience documenting Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, EU referendum and 2016 elections along with the many unanswered questions asked by @CommonsCMS on Facebook’s role.
We’re now into q&a. Chair of this IGC, @1Hildegarde, also notes Canadian and UK colleagues, who have led much of info gathering for globe, were unfortunately not able to join this meeting due to timing of their respective elections.
US is here with @davidcicilline who is leading the US Congress antitrust investigation into the tech platforms which now has nearly 50 State AGs, Justice and FTC all investigating Facebook and Google in parallel. It’s remarkable how the globe is waking up. Much work to do.
Question on how to constrain Google and Facebook’s biz model of surveillance advertising, @johnnyryan turns it back on Ireland and importance of its Data Protection Authority moving on them. Makes important point on GDPR’s risk-based approach and why Google & Facebook are focus.
“Undermining democracy should be punishable by extermination.” - @Moonalice weighs in hard on why regulations need to be focused on the underlying biz model of Google and Facebook and making data a human right.
US @davidcicilline first questions of day emphasize the important work of Committee, @carolecadwalla’s work which sparked and led the uncovering of the Facebook issues and asking about the incompatibility of microtargeting and political advertising.
“Algorithmic amplification is a business decision” - @Moonalice with a point on need for liability in response to age-old question of whether Facebook is a platform or a publisher.
Here is a link to the live stream. We’re breaking from first session and will come back momentarily with the panel of Google, Facebook, Twitter executives.
Starting back up in 5. Facebook’s witness was in the pair which had these remarkable answers to UK Parliament about Cambridge Analytica only 35 days before all hell broke loose for Facebook once @carolecadwalla reported.
Jim Balsillie testifying Facebook’s business model is toxic sitting next to Monika Bickert from Facebook. Here for it.
“Cyberspace knows no natural border. The Cambridge Analytica scandal involved Canadian technology on an American platform, paid for by Russian and US money to interfere in a British referendum over its future in the EU.” - @Balsillie
Now Google/YouTube testimony. Last time I saw them testify was to @CommonsCMS where they were proudly boasting about improvements which had only been made weeks earlier. Google reacts to regulatory pressure and bad PR. Not much else in my humble opinion moves them.
Nearly every problem that exists due to Facebook, particularly the symptoms from the core business model, exists with Google. The only negative of the attention on Facebook is Google’s avoidance. Why I had this op-ed in 2017. washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-r…
Now Karen White representing Twitter. She’s coming off a very smart communication from @jack just last week. Although experts have said microtargeting of political ads is the core issue with social media, Twitter’s move to just ban all political ads was warmly received.
First question from Australian leader goes to Bickert about lies in political ads. She punts to transparency and their advertising archive. Lots of back and forth and then a question whether Facebook should follow Twitter’s path (since everything is clearly a mess).
New press report Google is considering changes to microtargeting and political ads. Facebook floated similar trial balloon the other day. Two lessons here: 1) leadership matters, 👏🏼 to Twitter again 2) no way. I’ll see if when I believe it. marketwatch.com/story/google-s…
On the last tweet, I continue to say no way. Happy to be proven wrong. But I have seen no evidence Google or Facebook will limit microtargeting due to a fear of a slippery slope which starts to erode the core business model of Google and Facebook.
Facebook boasting about improvements in identifying hate speech in Myanmar is a good outcome and bad look when delivered by company that made no leadership changes despite United Nation’s report on Facebook’s role in the genocide.
Looks like @Moonalice, always the genius, decided a hashtag is in order. #GIC3 for today. I’ll start using and encourage it so comments and discussion can be followed.
🔥 a lot more can be said on this but @carolecadwalla captured it succinctly.
You’ve got to feel pretty good about working at Twitter right now if you witnessed @davidcicilline deconstruct Facebook’s madness. #GIC3
Now Irish and EU regulators plus @MarcRotenberg who summarizes history of Facebook’s failures to protect data and notes Facebook’s work to suppress criticism as good evidence Zuckerberg’s lines about freedom of expression aren’t sincere but a business strategy calculation. #GIC3
Rotenberg urges acceleration of GDPR enforcement against Google and Facebook, breaking up WhatsApp due to data violation even putting aside competition concern, and banning of political advertising until its biz model isn’t toxic to democracy. #GIC3
Enforcement of privacy law starting with GDPR against Google and Facebook is critical to lifting the bar globally on consumer trust. It’s also directly connected to antitrust investigations. Ireland, through its DPA, currently has the keys to the car. #GIC3
Good question to Dixon by @DPuttnam on interplay between tech investment and enforcement asking if she has the resources since EU relying on her. She is up to 140ppl. Puttnam describes it as tension between democracy and election integrity vs jobs speaking from UK experience.
EPIC’s @MarcRotenberg testifies answering @davidcicilline on how the lack of rules on data collection/usage and weak enforcement have directly impacted publishers calling it a zero sum game affecting journalists globally. #GIC3
Rotenberg reinforces to @davidcicilline his opening point that most of the data collected by tech platforms happens passively when people aren’t intending to interact with the companies. This research backs up this case with Google. #GIC3 digitalcontentnext.org/wp-content/upl…
@davidcicilline This. What @carolecadwalla was referencing. Please watch US Congress (Antitrust investigation chair) @davidcicilline dissect Facebook's madness and toxicity to democracy as he questions Facebook's Head of Global Policy at IGC in Dublin. Even their own employees see this. 1 of 4
@davidcicilline @carolecadwalla part 2 of 4. US Congressman @davidcicilline dissecting Facebook as they testify about their policy allowing false political ads to be microtargeted. The same policy Facebook employees sent open letter to management about last week and @ewarren @AOC many others have questioned.
@davidcicilline @carolecadwalla @ewarren @AOC Congressman @davidcicilline dissecting Facebook about its policy allowing false political ads to be microtargeted. Cicilline with a strong point about whether Facebook needs to be broken up and the irony of FB "invoking free speech as a cloak to undermine democracy." (3 of 4)
@davidcicilline @carolecadwalla @ewarren @AOC This. @davidcicilline then closes his questions to Facebook's Head of Global Policy Management by asking about its acceptance of foreign currency for paid false advertising by politicians. The Congressman basically drops the mic on Facebook's madness. Thank him. (4 of 4)
@davidcicilline @carolecadwalla @ewarren @AOC "This notion of this is just political speech we heard [Facebook] Ms. Bickert make and it's really not about money it's about free expression, your CEO [@Jack] has completely rejected that argument?" - @davidcicilline
"Yes." - Karen White, Twitter Dir of Public Policy, Europe
"Yes." - Karen White, Twitter Dir of Public Policy, Europe
@davidcicilline @carolecadwalla @ewarren @AOC @jack of course I broke my mega thread. Sigh. Edit, @jack. Here is the rest of the thread embedded with video. Apologies, long day.
