FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2021
CONTACT: media@colorofchange.org
Color Of Change Calls for Urgent Government Regulation of Big Tech in Response to ‘The Facebook Papers’
Leading racial justice organization argues new revelations reinforce fact that only the federal government can rein in Facebook
NATIONWIDE — In response to recent reports detailing ‘The Facebook Papers,’ Color Of Change President Rashad Robinson issued the following statement calling for immediate government intervention:
“The Facebook Papers confirm what Color Of Change has warned for years: Facebook exercises blind allegiance to profit and growth at the expense of user safety and welfare. They also prove what we’ve long known to be true — that Facebook’s leaders are aware that Black Americans are among the most active on the platform. But despite the fact that Black users help drive the company’s success, Facebook often silences us and enables harm to our communities. The tech giant has an obligation to its Black users, but we cannot wait another day for the company to fulfill it.
We have flagged these issues in multiple meetings with Facebook leaders including Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, who in turn consistently demonstrate an inability and unwillingness to take responsibility and address them. We’ve raised our voices publicly time and time again, even leading a massive corporate advertising boycott to stir the company into action. All the while, Facebook has attempted to convince the world that it should regulate itself through mechanisms such as its self-appointed Oversight Board — but we all know at this point that only the government can effectively curb the monopoly power that allows Facebook to harm us.
As part of our #BreakUpBigTech campaign, Color Of Change is calling for leadership in the House of Representatives to bring the latest antitrust bills to the floor for a vote, and for the Senate to introduce their version of these bills so Congress can move quickly to pass a unified bill for President Biden to then sign into law.
And that’s just the beginning. In order to enact systemic change, Congress must pass the Algorithmic Justice and Online Platform Transparency Act of 2021 to tackle discriminatory algorithms, and it must reform Section 230 by passing the Justice Against Malicious Algorithms Act, which would remove the liability shield that allows companies like Facebook to harm its users. We’re also demanding the Biden-Harris administration strengthen the Federal Trade Commission with meaningful investment, including the proposed $1 billion in funding under the infrastructure package, so it can overhaul the entire system that allows Facebook and other tech behemoths to unilaterally decide our fates.
Color Of Change’s millions of members will continue to engage with members of Congress and the Biden-Harris administration to ensure they prioritize and fund efforts to keep dangerous tech giants like Facebook in check.”
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About Color Of Change:
Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over 7 million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America. Visit www.colorofchange.org.