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WAR WITH GIANTS

Trump lashes out at big tech ‘corruption’ – but Twitter and Facebook say they ‘didn’t censor’ president

Nicole Darrah, News Reporter

New York
28 Oct 2020, 17:37
Updated: 29 Oct 2020, 2:32

PRESIDENT Donald Trump lashed out at big tech on Wednesday for "corruption" as Twitter and Facebook leaders say they haven't censored him.

As Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified before the Senate, Trump tweeted: "Media and Big Tech are not covering Biden Corruption!"

President Donald Trump blasted Big Tech for 'corruption' on Wednesday Credit: Reuters

"The USA doesn’t have Freedom of the Press, we have Suppression of the Story, or just plain Fake News," Trump wrote.

"So much has been learned in the last two weeks about how corrupt our Media is, and now Big Tech, maybe even worse. Repeal Section 230!"

Trump's claims come after reporting on Hunter Biden from the New York Post two weeks ago was briefly censored by Twitter and Facebook.

The articles were about emails, photos, and other personal documents that were supposedly on Hunter's laptop that he dropped off at a repair store in Delaware in 2019.

For less than 24 hours, Twitter didn't allow people to share the URLs or send them via direct message – which Dorsey said was "incorrect."

Anyone who shared the links on Twitter was briefly banned from the platform.

Reports on Hunter Biden's personal laptop were briefly censored on Twitter and FacebookCredit: AFP

Zuckerberg said the platform didn't outright ban the link from being shared, but as it was going through the fact-checking process, articles' distribution was "strained" so any possible "fake news" wasn't circulated.

Dorsey was accused by Republican Senator Ted Cruz during Wednesday's hearing of "egregious" abuse at the hands of Twitter over the censorship.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said Twitter doesn't have the ability to 'influence elections' as he testified on WednesdayCredit: Reuters

Dorsey said Twitter doesn't have the ability to "influence elections" – but was slammed by the Texas senator for its policies.

"Mr Dorsey, who the hell elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report and what the American people are allowed to hear?" Cruz asked the CEO.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also testified before the Senate Credit: Reuters

"Why do you persist in behaving as a Democratic super Pac, silencing views to the contrary of your political beliefs?"

"Well we're not doing that," Dorsey replied. "And that's why I opened this hearing with calls for more transparency."

Dorsey explained on Wednesday that the decision was made in line with a policy created in 2018 on "hacked materials."

Dorsey said that the Post's reporting was based on documents that were seemingly "hacked" from Hunter's laptop.

Cruz said this was "highly dubious and clearly employed in deeply partial way."

The Texas senator went on to question whether Twitter blocked or censored The New York Times' recent reporting on President Donald Trump's tax returns.

Dorsey said Twitter was 'incorrect' to outright ban the New York Post article from being sharedCredit: EPA

The Times did not officially receive a copy of Trump's tax paperwork – as reporters were leaked the documents.

Twitter said it didn't violate the terms of service because it was "about" the documents, and that the report did not "distribute the material."

In their opening statements on Wednesday, Dorsey, Zuckerberg, and Pichai addressed the proposals for changes to so-called Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to the Senate committee.

The provision of a 1996 law protects companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google from liability over content that's posted online by users and the qualification of the content as "free speech."

Trump said Section 230, which mainly protects from Big Tech big speech liability, should be repealedCredit: Getty Images - Getty

In his tweets on Wednesday, Trump said: "Repeal Section 230!"

Both Zuckerberg and Dorsey said during their testimony that their platforms have not censored Trump's postings online.

Trump claimed that 'media' and Big Tech are not covering 'Biden corruption'Credit: AFP or licensors

Both of the CEOS that in line with their policies on elections and misinformation, among others, Trump's tweets are sometimes given a fact-check label.

They contended the president's tweets have never been deleted or outright censored.

This month, the Justice Department filed a landmark lawsuit against Google for antitrust violations – but the tech giant said the case is "deeply flawed."

The lawsuit alleges that Google abused its dominance in online search and advertising to stifle competition and harm consumers.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai is seen here remotely testifying on Wednesday Credit: Getty - Pool

“Google is the gateway to the internet and a search advertising behemoth," US Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen told reporters of the filing.

“It has maintained its monopoly power through exclusionary practices that are harmful to competition.”

But Google said the lawsuit is "deeply flawed" because "people use Google because they choose to – not because they're forced to or because they can't find alternatives."

Twitter's Jack Dorsey accused of ‘egregious’ abuse of power over Hunter Biden ‘censorship’ by Ted Cruz

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Di Maio, è il momento di rendere omogenei salari in Europa

L'intervento al webinar organizzato dall'Ufficio in Italia del Parlamento europeo

Redazione ANSA

24 maggio 202120:10

ROMA - Non "è più procrastinabile un intervento a livello europeo che renda omogenee le condizioni del salario minimo in tutta l'Unione". Lo ha detto il ministro degli Esteri Luigi Di Maio intervenendo all'evento 'Direttiva relativa a salari minimi adeguati nell'Unione europea' organizzato dall'Ufficio in Italia del Parlamento europeo, in collaborazione con la Rappresentanza della Commissione europea in Italia.

"Ciò non significa che i salari debbano parificarsi nei 27 Paesi Membri, ma parametrarsi su soglie minime calcolate sulla base del livello di povertà in ciascuno di essi", ha precisato il titolare della Farnesina. "Per questo, sono molto soddisfatto che sia in corso di negoziato una proposta di direttiva quadro sui salari minimi adeguati in Europa", ha detto.

"Creare e mantenere posti di lavoro adeguatamente remunerati in Italia è la nostra stella polare. Lo considero un obiettivo di giustizia e di equità, in linea con i valori fondamentali dell'Unione Europea", ha aggiunto.

"Per realizzarlo - ha sottolineato il titolare della Farnesina - ritengo altrettanto essenziale mettere l'istruzione e le competenze al centro della nostra azione politica. Le transizioni gemelle porteranno, infatti, enormi opportunità per i cittadini italiani ed europei, ma anche nuove sfide. Richiederanno maggiori investimenti in istruzione, formazione professionale e riqualificazione, in modo da stimolare afflussi occupazionali verso settori dove è in crescita la domanda di manodopera".

"Siamo naturalmente ben consapevoli che la fase di ripresa dalla pandemia sarà complessa e graduale, ma resta necessario 'rovesciare il fronte' e giocare in attacco, passando dalla sola protezione dei posti di lavoro esistenti, alla creazione di nuova occupazione, con migliori condizioni di impiego", ha detto Di Maio assicurando che "l'Italia continuerà a impegnarsi per ridurre le disuguaglianze, combattere l'esclusione sociale e la povertà, soprattutto quella infantile, e proteggere i gruppi sociali particolarmente vulnerabili, come i disoccupati di lunga durata, gli anziani, le persone con disabilità e i senzatetto".

"La scelta dell'Ue di introdurre una direttiva sul salario minimo europeo, per il Movimento 5 stelle segna un radicale cambiamento delle politiche dell'Unione e per questo rappresenta una priorità strategica", ha detto la presidente della commissione Lavoro del Senato, Susy Matrisciano (M5s).

"E' misura di giustizia sociale, che può arginare gli effetti recessivi innescati dalla crisi globale in atto, aumentando il potere d'acquisto dei lavoratori. Ed è per questo- ha detto - che il M5S, parallelamente all'iter avviato dalla Commissione Ue, ha depositato una nuova proposta di legge sul salario minimo che 'aggiorna' e punta a introdurre una soglia minima di dignità salariale inderogabile per spingere verso l'alto i salari".

"Il nuovo ddl, di cui sono seconda firmataria - ha osservato Matrisciano -, valorizza i contratti collettivi nazionali cosiddetti 'leader', definisce i criteri per individuare il grado di rappresentatività delle organizzazioni sindacali e datoriali, introduce una sorta di test di 'dignità' salariale, pari a 9 euro, in linea con i parametri di adeguatezza indicati dalla proposta di direttiva europea, e, tra le altre cose, prevede agevolazioni per le aziende, come la detassazione della parte di salario aggiuntivo dovuto al rinnovo contrattuale o all'applicazione del salario minimo, e il rafforzamento delle attività di vigilanza per verificare l'effettiva l'applicazione dei ccnl e dei trattamenti minimi retributivi".

"In Italia - ha ricordato - oltre 2,5 mln di lavoratori percepiscono un salario orario inferiore agli 8 euro, cifra che in alcuni comparti precipita a quota 4,60 euro all'ora, mentre secondo il Censis, nel 2050, circa 5,7 mln di giovani avranno pensioni sotto la soglia di povertà". "La condizione socio-economica dell'Italia post pandemia, senza adeguati interventi, rischia di peggiorare, intervenire con una legge sul salario minimo potrebbe contribuire a invertire la rotta per tutelare le nuove generazioni", ha concluso Matrisciano.

In questi mesi è entrata nel vivo in Europa la discussione sulla direttiva comunitaria che punta a introdurre lo strumento del salario minimo in tutti gli Stati membri. La norma, proposta dalla Commissione europea il 28 ottobre scorso e ora all'esame del Parlamento, punta, tra le varie cose, a garantire che i salari minimi siano sempre fissati al di sopra della soglia di povertà. Un dibattito che interessa da vicino anche l'Italia, uno dei 6 Paesi Ue in cui questo sistema di protezione è fornito esclusivamente dai contratti collettivi.

Gigetto ammo' vi mette tutti paro paro nella UE

Di Maio: “Salario minimo Ue contro delocalizzazioni stile Pfizer”. Il video

12/05/2021

Di Maio: “Salario minimo Ue contro delocalizzazioni stile Pfizer”

Roma, 11 mag. (askanews) – “Noi siamo uno dei pochissimi stati a non avere il salario minimo in Europa: 21 Stati membri dell’Ue su 27 hanno una forma di salario minimo per legge. Io credo che sia una misura fondamentale nel momento in cui i cittadini sono stati colpiti dalla pandemia” di coronavirus, e “non è una misura contro le imprese”. Lo ha affermato il ministro degli Esteri, Luigi Di Maio, intervenendo al dibattito online del M5S “Il salario minimo per lavoratori e imprese” a partire dalla direttiva dell’Unione Europea.

“Il coraggio dei nostri europarlamentari (nell’estate 2019) nel dare la fiducia e il voto al Parlamento europeo alla nascita della Commissione Von der Leyen si basava sul principio che nel programma di Ursula Von der Leyen c’era anche il salario minimo europeo”, ha aggiunto.

“Non è una misura contro le imprese, anzi è una misura che mina a eliminare la concorrenza sleale. L’ultimo caso a cui abbiamo assistito in Europa è il caso eclatante della Pfizer che ha deciso di trasferire parte della propria attività in Romania riducendo l’organico della filiale in Belgio. Non possiamo andare avanti sul fronte del mercato unico europeo con delle regole uniche se non abbiamo la possibilità di sviluppare un salario minimo unico”, ha concluso Di Maio.

(Testo e video Askanews)

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L'impatto della corruzione tedesca sulla UE: un'influenza autoritaria

Germany’s corruption scandals: How to limit authoritarian influence in the EU

Germany’s recent corruption scandals are as much about the health of democracy in Germany and the EU as they are simply questions of money

Gustav Gressel

Senior Policy Fellow

Majda Ruge

Senior Policy Fellow

Note from Berlin 20 April 2021 5 minute read

A series of corruption scandals has recently shaken Germany, leading to the resignation of several parliamentarians from the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and falling poll ratings for the party ahead of this September’s general election. Some of the MPs exposed had been taking financial payments from authoritarian regimes such as Azerbaijan and North Macedonia to lobby for them in both Berlin and Brussels. But, beyond revealing a shocking propensity for corruption by elected officials – which has been the principal recent focus of the German media – the affairs raise broader questions about authoritarian endeavours to exert influence in German and European politics.

A tight web of interests exists around relationships between some politicians from the two traditionally largest parties in Germany, on the one hand, and, on the other, authoritarian and kleptocratic regimes in Viktor Orban’s Hungary, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, and Ilham Aliyev’s Azerbaijan, to name just some. This can take the form of lucrative contracts for individual politicians, or via influence through party groups in the European Parliament. Whatever the vehicle of influence, autocrats from within and outside the European Union have long been able to exploit loopholes in German law and weak spots in financial oversight to water down European positions on democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

One widespread practice is the use of dubious ‘consultancies’ affiliated with members of parliament and former top-level politicians. Fees received for such activities are generally uncapped, and there are no legal requirements for MPs to declare this income to the Bundestag. In many cases, parliamentarians engaged in such activity ran into trouble only if they sought to evade taxes.

One of the recent scandals includes revelations about payments made during the time in office of former Macedonian prime minister Nikola Gruevski. In 2016, Gruevski’s government hired a consultancy owned by MP Tobias Zech to reportedly organise meetings for the then prime minister in Berlin and Munich. This lobbying aimed to marshal political support for the regime prior to elections. It took place at a time when Gruevski’s government was already known to be responsible for mass democratic and human rights violations. It also happened in the aftermath of major scandals that exposed high levels of corruption and criminality in his government. One example from 2015 was the wiretapping of telephone conversations of 20,000 Macedonian journalists, politicians, and religious figures and political interference in the judiciary, media, and the administration.

Gruevski’s visits to Germany therefore gave an air of legitimacy to an autocrat; they could have undermined the efforts pursued at that time by the US government and the EU to facilitate democratic regime change and help put in place conditions for free and fair elections. The US and EU effort eventually paid off, leading to a democratic change of government and paving the way for the historic Prespa Agreement with Greece, which changed the country’s name and unblocked its NATO accession.

Other ways to acquire influence in Germany include setting up organisations such as the “environmental foundation” created by the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to lobby for the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Revelations around this foundation have stirred up a similar debate about the inadequacy of existing compliance and transparency rules. The foundation is de facto controlled by Gazprom, and promises both lucrative posts as well as financial resources to advocate the interests of the Russian state-owned company (and the Kremlin in general).

German politicians should move quickly to address this issue of ‘strategic corruption’

A further channel for illicit foreign influence exists in the form of top-level politicians moving easily from high-level government jobs to executive positions in corporations owned by authoritarian regimes. The poster-child for such influence is former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who sits on the board of Russian oil company Rosneft, capitalising on his reputation as a highly regarded politician to promote controversial Russian state-sponsored projects.

Some former German politicians also run consultancies that make large sums introducing German business to political stakeholders in authoritarian countries themselves. Such cases include Social Democrat and former defence minister Rudolf Scharping’s facilitation of Germany-China business, and the consultancy of former East German prime minister Lothar de Maizière. The latter is an outspoken opponent of sanctions on Russia. Functionaries of the Petersburg Dialogue or the German-Russian Forum are particularly vocal advocates of Russian interests.

Similarly, the Germany-South Caucasus parliamentary exchange group seems to have been used by Azerbaijan to cultivate certain members of the Bundestag by providing them with travel, gifts, and other benefits. And, in the wake of a scandal surrounding Azeri payments to members of the Bundestag, further journalistic investigations revealed that interns with connections to the regime in Baku had over many years been placed with both CDU, SPD, and opposition party representatives in parliament, propagating regime interests. The Azeri regime has also financed a chair at Berlin’s well-known Humboldt University, whose occupant spreads the regime’s very own view on Southern Caucasus political affairs.

Finally, foreign politicians have been able to exercise considerable influence by trading favours in the EU institutions. Hungary’s prime minister has long defended the interests of German car manufacturers in the European Council in order to strengthen his ties to the CDU and its habitual coalition partner, the Christian Social Union. Critics say these ties are maintained in exchange for tolerance of increasing repression and democratic backsliding in Hungary by the European People’s Party (EPP) and specifically its group in the European Parliament. While Fidesz was suspended from the EPP in 2019, before leaving it for good in March 2021, the failure to act earlier has facilitated the process of democratic erosion in Hungary.

Had the EU moved to introduce Article 7 procedures (when a member state is breaching core principles such as democracy and human rights) against Hungary before 2015, Budapest could not have relied on the backing of Poland’s Law and Justice government after it returned to power that year. Such a move may have also deterred Law and Justice from emulating Orban.

Now the EU has a member state no longer considered a democracy, which not only tries to dilute the EU’s human rights policies, but also serves as a hub for Russian and Chinese influence in Europe. Today, in a similar manner, the EPP lends respectability to politicians inside the EU such as Slovenian prime minister Janez Jansa but also EPP politicians from outside the EU such as Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, each of whom is responsible for presiding over democratic backsliding in their own countries.

These various channels of influence result not only in the diminution of the EU’s commitment to defending democracy abroad, they could equally be harmful for Germany. Ultimately, the impact of the recent CDU corruption scandals is that they undermines domestic trust in democracy.

While countries such as North Macedonia and Azerbaijan may have limited ability to affect German democracy, the same channels of influence can be used by more significant players such as China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. These all try to influence Germany’s foreign policy positions and decisions about more purely domestic German matters. China’s lobbying for Huawei to participate in Germany’s 5G rollout is a case in point. While Huawei has mostly relied on German companies as proxies to lobby the government in Berlin, behind these efforts is a well-funded, EU-wide campaign bult on public events, Huawei-funded reports, and an aggressive media push on matters that ultimately affect Germany’s and the EU’s security interests.

Shutting down these avenues of corrupt foreign influence should be a matter of urgency; German politicians should move quickly to address this issue of ‘strategic corruption’. Mandatory transparency about activities undertaken on behalf of foreign governments should be the first step. This means not just introducing a lobby register – which was recently agreed in the German parliament – but also introducing full transparency requirements about the different types of activity that parliamentarians carry out on behalf of authoritarian governments. Here, a systematic stock-take of different lobbying channels and related risks is needed. In light of this, the Bundestag should commission an independent comprehensive study of the different routes for illicit foreign influence, on the basis of which it could devise a set of proposed solutions. If it does not start to take action soon, trust in democracy in Germany and beyond will suffer.

The European Council on Foreign Relations does not take collective positions. ECFR publications only represent the views of its individual authors.

Authors

Gustav Gressel

Senior Policy Fellow

Majda Ruge

Senior Policy Fellow

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Trump lashes out at big tech ‘corruption’ – but Twitter and Facebook say they ‘didn’t censor’ president

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