Krishnamoorthi: Congress Must Police Big Tech Amid Rising Hate Violence
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi calls for congressional action against Big Tech for failing to police hate and prevent violence.
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On Thursday’s broadcast of “NewsNation Now,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) addressed a thwarted attack on a Hindu temple and threats against Rep. Keith Self (R-TX), Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), and others. He emphasized that the growing issue of hate-driven violence is linked to the failure of Big Tech to police social media platforms effectively.
Big Tech Fails to Police Hate, Krishnamoorthi Says
Krishnamoorthi stated that the problem lies in the lack of oversight by Big Tech, which he argued has not done enough to curb the spread of hate speech online. He pointed out that Congress must step in to regulate these platforms, as they are not fulfilling their responsibility to protect users from harmful content.
“Big Tech is not policing social media. That means that Congress has to police Big Tech,” Krishnamoorthi said. He warned that hate rhetoric leads to violence, and that the current climate is fostering self-radicalization among young people.
Call for Rhetorical Accountability
He urged both political parties to avoid using divisive rhetoric that targets individuals based on their religion, ethnicity, or other identities. Krishnamoorthi emphasized that young people are not naturally inclined to hate, but are taught to do so over time, often through exposure to harmful content on social media.
“Our young people, they’re not born to hate, they’re not — babies don’t hate. They are taught to hate. They get self-radicalized over time. Social media contributes to that,” he said. Krishnamoorthi argued that the responsibility falls on both lawmakers and tech companies to ensure that hate speech is not amplified and used to incite violence.
Need for Congressional Oversight
Krishnamoorthi concluded by reiterating the need for Congress to take a more active role in regulating Big Tech. He stressed that the consequences of unchecked hate speech are real and have already led to violent incidents. “This hate has consequences, and that is violence right now,” he said.
The congressman’s comments reflect a growing concern within the Democratic Party about the role of social media in fostering extremism and inciting violence. As tensions over hate speech and misinformation continue to rise, Krishnamoorthi’s call for legislative action highlights the increasing pressure on lawmakers to address the role of technology in modern society.
Source: Breitbart