Evidently, Lauren Boebert still cannot wrap her mind around the idea that the First Amendment doesn’t give one a right to post their opinion on private social media companies.

She actually has it completely backward in that the social media companies are the ones with the First Amendment right (if anyone has a constitutional right) to freedom of association, and a 14th Amendment right to use its private property as it sees fit without government due process. Lauren still believes that Facebook and Twitter are under the government’s control or cannot tell the difference.

Today, Jen Psaki noted in her daily press briefing that the federal government has increased COVID disinformation research and tracking in the Surgeon General’s office. The government wants to “flag” popular posts spreading misinformation.

Despite the fact that Facebook and Twitter essentially function like nation-states unto themselves, they still do not have the federal government’s resources to monitor their own platforms. It is probably best left unsaid how powerful the fed’s “net-tracking” resources can be, it would likely terrify us all. They certainly have that last sentence recorded, not to mention the fact that you read it.

But on this one, the power is used to truly benefit the country’s public health. And, given that the federal government is the entity that likely takes the biggest economic hit as COVID continues to spread, it has a practical-economic reason, along with its humanitarian role, to watch for such “influencers.” You will of course notice that at no point does Psaki say that the federal government has taken over the social media platforms or has any authority over what social media posts. The companies are, ultimately, private entities and their platforms are private property.

The government “flags” posts for Facebook and Twitter. It doesn’t “remove” them. The difference means everything. Last, keep in mind, there’s no “rule” saying that these posts are written by Americans, and may be intentional disinformation coming from another country.

Being private companies, Facebook and Twitter also have economic and humanitarian reasons for wanting their platforms scrubbed from disinformation, lawsuits, reputation, trustworthiness, etc. The situation is nothing like North Korea or China, but under no circumstances can Lauren Boebert be trusted to know the difference. As you read this, just know that most of the replies and retweets of the post are in total agreement. It is outrageously dangerous disinformation from Boebert, a little like propaganda from… :

Sounds a lot like the governments in China and North Korea. https://t.co/ekkXWqjeIL

— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) July 15, 2021

Of course, it doesn’t at all sound like North Korea or China. Do notice that Lauren doesn’t add “Russia” or “Saudi Arabia” to her list. Nope, one has to say only nice things about large MAGA supporters.

Let’s clear this up for Miss Dipshit – you have no right to disseminate blatant lies – and that’s what you snake oil salespeople are doing https://t.co/HnKBpHxG0X

— Bill Stahl 🇺🇸 🟧 (@BillStahlJr) July 15, 2021

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