These people will provide Trump millions of dollars of free advertising in his campaign, which will be outside the regulation of federal election laws. The fact that Trump knew the organizations and people to invite is unnerving, and now they are friends to whom he can reach out directly. They will be a shadow, underground campaign arm under his direction. There is no doubt Trump’s 2020 campaign will be the ugliest, most mendacious campaign in history. He has no boundaries and only ostensibly is running for President. He’s actually running for dictator.
22
I wasn’t going to read this but once again I got drawn in. The MSM are Trumps enablers, you got him elected in 16 and by covering this kind of pap you will do so in 20. There was nothing in this meeting worthy of coverage but you gave him and the kooks what they wanted. It will have to do until you can glorify the next school shooter.
11
*Fake* Freedom. The bottomless pitt.
3
And we are all shocked and surprised ?
4
If Hitler and Mussolini were alive they would be standing next to Trump. In the end we won the battle but are losing the war.
9
How horrifying and appalling it is to see the presidency endorsing and authorizing right-wing extremists, whack-o conspiracy theorists, Nazi-lovers, bigots of all stripes and misogynists at the White House. And how ironic not to see representatives from the very social media sites that are being critiqued and attacked. Just one more example of Trump's self-serving, egotistical undermining of American values in pandering to his purported "base." A truly grotesque display.
20
It's Trump's "base". Expect nothing less.
7
@PeteH
Yes, but seeing them cordially invited and physically gathered at the White House (as opposed to skulking on social media or isolated islands) just seems to me a quantum jump in presidential legitimization of such activities. What's next: a jolly hail-fellow-well-met "reunion" of Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Clinton, and all the other misogynistic advocates of harassment, sexual abuse, and child trafficking?
5
I guess there was no national women’s soccer team available.
7
How in tarnation can Trump spend taxpayers money on this kind of event.
8
“Tarnation.”
Excellent. Don’t see that nearly enough these days.
8
Why I hate trumpism so much is because it is much more than about a horrible person. It is the absolute corruption of everything that is decent, moral, ethical and honest. Truth has been corrupted by labels like "fake news" and / or "alternate facts".
15
Just take a look at this cast of characters who attended:
Senator Blackburn who falsely claimed Planned parenthood was selling body parts.
Congressman Gaetz who engages in conspiracy mongering and brought a Holocaust denier to the state of the union.
James O’Keefe who tries to play a bigoted version of Alan Funt of Candid camera fame but ends up looking like a fool. Convicted of breaking into a senators office in order to create an incident.
Seb Gorka who proudly wears a Hungarian Nazi colaborator lapel pin.
Mad magazine couldn't think this up. We used to have presidents who invited the titans of industry the arts, sciences and athletics, now we have this shame.
17
Surreal, scary meeting. And on the White House lawn. Whe am I suddenly googling KuKluxKlan?
8
Dear New York Times.
Please don't cover these stunts. They are not news, they are extended commercials for the President's reelection and (this time) bottom feeders of social media.
It's not news. It's are reality show.
11
exactly
2
Once again we see Trump surround himself with some "notable" if not savory characters. This time it is with conservative social media types; the kind that secretly record a target, often in a compromising situation, and haul it out later to discredit and humiliate their victim.
So much more to say about these stellar individuals. But my guess is, because Trump surrounds himself on a daily basis with swamp creatures, that this summit must seem like a peaceful stroll in the rose garden.
Glad you are having fun Mr. President. We liberals hunger for these moments when you are diverted from causing havoc in our country and around the world if only for a day.
3
An infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of computers will eventually type every hateful screed created by trump and this band of self-important “disrupters”.
5
@Patrick Such insightful, so wow!
You're right, Dee! He didn't have to be altogether that insightful to draw his conclusion about Trump's monkeys. They're pecking away right now.
3
Welcome trolls and foreign bots. They'll be an all you can eat Spam buffet at lunch, a breakout session on 'Fake News 'til You Make News', and a very special talk by Roger Ailes via deepfake.
9
What a disgusting cynical disgrace the Republican Party and its "leaders" have become. For the USA to regain reason, respect and to preserve OUR Democracy they MUST be VOTED OUT.
Anyone who chooses not to vote in 2020 OR who votes for ANY candidate that is not a democrat will be aiding trump and mcCONnell and the rest of these morally bankrupt plutocrats in their take over of normal American values. In other words the republican kakistocracy must GO.
9
What, no Alex Jones?????
6
Trump uses social media to bypass the liberal MSM.
No longer does ABCNBCCBSCNNMSNBCNYTWaPo control the news cycle. Every “journalist” now checks Trump’s tweets before brushing teeth in the morning. Trump dictates the news now, and the Swamp hates that.
3
Trump IS the swamp.
11
"Trump dictates the news"
That's the problem. Dictators taking down the fourth estate is the surest sign of a fascist state.
7
You like living in a country where the leader dictates the news? You should consider moving to N Korea, Russia or Philippines.
5
It’s fine if people have conservative views or support Trump. What is not fine is HATE . Tone down your rhetoric, be polite, state your opinion, and maybe someone else could hear you. When you’re screaming, it’s hard to listen.
5
@Louisa Wood Ruby Would be nice if people who hate trump heard this.
3
You are hilarious, Dee. Earlier you were posting that there is no such thing as hate speech. This should tell you why serious publications tend to ignore conservative comments. They don't make sense and serve only to muddle an otherwise intelligent exchange of ideas.
2
@Glenn Thomas
Yeah I was saying there is no such thing as "hate speech."
Point out where I contradicted myself here? Please. Point out where Louisa said hate speech or where I mentioned hate speech in this thread.
I'll wait with bated breath rofl
2
So the creator of TimCast attended the meeting.. He supported Bernie Saunders and Universal Healthcare so is he right wing? Oh wait, he completely is on board with Big Media suppression of speech it doesn't like so this makes him Right Wing. Sloppy article guys.
@Chris ...what are you even trying to say?
2
I assume our tax dollars are paying for this event? In which case, it's state sanctioned racism.
11
@Marcella not the first time, not the last time.
1
How is this piece not labeled "Opinion," NYT? This is a blatant hit piece -- not even disguised as objective journalism.
First, "Pro-Trump Digital Warriors" is factually incorrect. One, it isn't hosted FOR those people and two, most of the people invited aren't Pro-Trump Warriors. Many of them dislike Trump, like Tim Pool who is a Democrat Journalist.
Second, the event isn't gathering "a group of supporters who have grown from fringe lurkers in the internet backwaters." What a slanderous statement.
Third, to suggest these conservatives "think" they are being discriminated against for their views when there is hard evidence (including admissions from Google execs, admission from Jack Dorsey CEO of Twitter, leaked google emails and documents, and testimony from various Google engineer whistleblowers) showing that it is a fact they are being discriminated against for their views is a breach of journalistic ethics.
This writer is clearly biased against Trump, biased against individual content creators, and biased against conservatives in general. This piece belongs squarely in the opinion section of your publication. What a joke. Katie, have you unlearned everything you used to know about journalistic ethics or did you never learn them in the first place? Rule number one: Fact Check. Vet your sources and information. You failed even that.
2
You don’t support even one of your knee-jerk assertions. The NYT piece is credible, your screed is not.
9
You should follow your own advice.
3
@Dee I did a word search of the article and didn't find the word "vermin." I don't think the author is biased.
6
The social networks are limiting hate speech, regardless of political leaning. If a group of conservatives feels that this will affect them much more than it does moderates or liberals, it says something about their propensity to produce hate speech, not about bias by the social network providers.
20
Mitchell: I guess it depends on what you call hate speech. Holocaust denial, anti-semitism, anti black, anti women speech is not considered wrong by right wingers, and now many average Republicans. So they can’t see why it’s banned.
3
It is inconceivable that the press is not covering this “gathering” for what it is. This is a re-election event to unleash the spewers of hate and conspiracy to engage his fringe (and not so fringe) base.
We should all (right and left) be very concerned.
14
The only thing Facebook, Twitter and Google missed were the unlimited servings of whine.
5
@kpk I guess we found yet another lefty in favor of censorship and political suppression.
If there’s one group of people conservatives go to bat for to make sure they can spread their ideas far and wide, it’s neo-Nazis. Why is that?
4
@Dee Private companies are not beholden to protect your 1st Amendment. That's a form of Socialism, and you wouldn't want that, would you? Would you?
6
In an article about media bias, it's the height of irony that the criminality of James O'Keefe's actions to skew media narratives about liberal institutions goes unmentioned here.
8
@Andrew Ross The height of irony actually belongs in the headline of this article. Various perspectives from all along the political spectrum were invited to the Summit and yet it reads "Pro-Trump Digital Warriors."
1
@Dee yes, such a wide spectrum: Klan sympathizers, neo-Nazis, conspiracy theorists, misogynists. What, no pedophiles?
7
Senator McConnell,
When Trump and his cohorts come after you - and it’s just a matter of time for them to do so - there will be nobody left to defend you.
7
this will all be seen as incredulous in the history books. the generation after next will ask why we didn't do anything and we allowed this madman to "rule" our country.
we will be seen as cowards and unpatriotic. rightly so. we allowed one individual and his cohorts to dismantle, destroy , degrade our great nation in our eyes and in the eyes of the world.
Just incredible. and johnson in the UK is on the same path. UK, welcome to the club you never wanted to join.
history will not treat trump or his supporters (including those who voted for him) well.
8
Perhaps that generation will understand that our hands were tied by the ignorant majority as occurred in the last presidential election.
2
One of the social media platforms attending the summit is “Minds,” which has facilitated funding of violent neo-Nazi groups and which hosts white supremacists.
Not a surprise these people are invited to the White House and that Trump supporters are going to bar for them. They’re ideological siblings.
11
Interesting. Discriminators fighting for their right not to be discriminated against. One might say: "Good for them. Now they know how the discriminated feel", but they will never understand the painful results of their bigotry and hate.
8
It's what, three days since Trump lost a lawsuit over him banning critical posters on his Twitter account?
Yet he bleats about the First Amendment? The hypocrisy is staggering.
10
@OD
He doesn't seriously want or expect to do anything about it. He gets too much mileage out of the victimhood narrative.
3
I'll try once more.
If you want to ban something you should be able to say what it is. What thoughts ideas or word combinations should be forbidden on social media?
What is hate speech please give it some thought. What are you really advocating. Do you know?
1
It's good to know that the president considers this such a critical issue to devote tax-funded resources on because he can't see any reports of him being good-looking & smart whenever he googles himself.
Pdoof that he is puting America first.
6
"We will not let them get away with it much longer."
The Devil is in the details, so I ask you, Mr. Trump, what are you going to do about it?
Use an executive order to shutdown any voices you don't like?
Calling your bluff, here, bully.
10
What happened to the conservative blog RedState is illustrative of the cult that the modern Republican party has become in the past decade. Despite having sterling right-wing credentials such as being staunchly anti-choice, all the writers who wrote articles criticizing Trump (often for positions that were too far "left", always for his lack of decency) were summarily fired in 2018. Since then the site has devolved into non-stop adulation of the dear leader, interspersed with vitriolic condemnations of all that is not slavish devotion to the dear leader.
7
Face facts, defensive Republicans - conservative voices aren’t being silenced, in fact they’re given a vast platform on social media. Hateful, racist, bigoted, and insightful voices are rightfully being removed from private platforms for not complying with the rules of service they, themselves, agreed to when they signed-up.
11
@Dan Incorrect. They are being silenced. I guess you haven't been paying attention to how YouTube and Google are changing their algorithms to favor left wing politics and suppress conservative ones.
I guess you missed leaked Google emails and documents explicitly admitting the bias against conservatives as well as a discussion on how to suppress their content.
I guess you missed a lot of things. But that's not surprising. When you are okay with political censorship in a free-speech country, you're going to be okay with denying it is taking place.
Dee, Wrong. These platforms reject different postings for various reasons: profanity, abusive language and uninformed opinions that defy common sense. They are all either offensive, a rant, or a waste of space in an otherwise intelligent exchange. Too bad too many of the opinions expressed by conservatives fall into the last two categories.
10
@Glenn Thomas False.
These platforms form their policy around leftist politics which inherently cause more conservatives to run afoul of them.
Case in point: Twitter's rule of misgendering. Most conservatives don't believe that calling a man a man is wrong. Forcing someone to acknowledge and adhere to a leftist viewpoint or face consequences is necessarily suppression and targeting of Conservative viewpoints.
If a Conservative says "A Woman is Not A Man," he or she will get a suspension despite that being a very common conservative opinion.
In fact, that has already happened. I used a real world example and not a hypothetical.
Saying a woman is not a man is not abusive. It is not profane. It is not uninformed because it is deeply rooted in biological science. It is not a rant and it does not defy common sense.
Yet it still earns a suspension.
So yes. These platforms target conservatives.
If you disagree, take it up with Jack Dorsey himself who admitted on the Joe Rogan Podcast with Tim Pool that Twitter has been unfairly targeting and suppressing conservatives.
1
All this agora and not a single GOP tech developer smart enough to create their own social media platform. Why do these people expect free speech on a private platform???
6
@Dan
I've never understood that. There's nothing to keep them from setting up their own websites. They could do that and still keep up their victimhood narrative by claiming they were "censored" by mainstream platforms.
3
@Rick Wrong. See what happened with Gab, Minds, and Dissenter.
They were all smeared by dozens of hitpieces put out by Vox, NYT, HuffPo, WaPo, Buzzfeed, etc calling them "bastions of the alt right" and havens for "neo-nazis" when all they are is a place for free speech.
Legacy media and all of mainstream media except for Fox News for some reason stand opposed to startups that could pose a threat to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
There are significant barriers to people starting their own websites.
That's not even considering all the crazy left wing activists who find out which advertisers support these alternative platforms and content creators and cause them to pull that support.
The left wages war against those who try to start their own platforms and in the same breath asks "why don't they just start their own platform or website?"
It's nauseating how insane that doublethink is.
1
@Dan Guess you never heard of Gab, Dissenter, Minds, Bitchute, etc.....
Alternative social media platforms are out there and are growing in popularity but it takes awhile to grow to a size that would be noticed by a duopoly like Facebook/Google.
Also, it always makes me laugh when someone says "well why don't they just make their own platform?" because when they actually do, their efforts are smeared as "alt right" and "bastions for neo-nazis" and hit piece after hit piece is published in an attempt to delegitimize any opposition and competition to Youtube and Twitter.
Alternative platforms don't just have the typical market share challenges to deal with -- they have to fight an automatic uphill battle against 95% of mainstream media that's bent on destroying their efforts.
Free speech is where everybody gets to speak.
5
Not whatever they want, or to drown out everybody else, no.
3
@Robert and @Albert both correct. Free speech is where anyone gets to speak their mind.
You can't incite violence. That's about the only thing not protected as free speech. So, in that, Robert is correct.
There is no such thing as hate speech though, Robert. What you might consider hate speech is still protected under 1A and must be allowed.
1
Dee, You should consider educating yourself in the laws concerning hate speech.
6
The politics of grievance is the only thing that keeps Donald Trump going. Poor thing has been so persecuted all his life.
8
Yet another play right out of the NSDAP’s playbook. Funny how just about everyone thinks that can’t happen here.
4
"It definitely is a listening session for the administration to gather facts and data," says Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk.
What, Trump holding a listening session to gather facts? That's laughable on its face. Trump makes up his own "facts" to justify virtually everything he does.
This "listening session" will be little more than a photo-op and strategy meeting with Trump for a rogues gallery of right wing extremists and alt-right/white nationalist whiners to force private media platforms to air their militantly racist, sexist, xenophobic views.
8
And the scary thing is this guy will probably get reelected.
5
@lgg Not so scary. The economy is stronger than its been in a very long time, unemployment is as low as it has been in decades, Peace is being brokered by the US between NK and SK, Trump has launched a global gay acceptance initiative in historically anti-gay regions of the world...
Hey, at least we're not handing out 20,000 drone strikes and permitting extrajudicial assassinations of US citizens in foreign countries am I right?
1
I’m completely horrified, maybe even traumatized by this administration, but you have a good point.
An argument can be made Obama oversaw the worst inequality in our history, not to mention ordering, wasn’t it, 26,000 drone strikes?
In many ways, by Obama set up the level of desperation and alienation that Hillary deepened, with her cluelessness and hubris at the very least.
A red or blue rope look the same from the bottom of a well, and the Clinton DNC relied on an electoral blackmail strategy that failed, and couldn’t be bothered to admit why and how.
Thoroughly disgusted with both Parties.
1
This is outrageous. Who needs the Russians anymore.
5
@Precarious Illusion
I don't know why they weren't invited. Maybe Donald thought that would be a little too obvious...
1
Staggering hypocrisy, insane narcissism, outright malicious lies, and faux outrage. Yep, this summit is yet another productive day for the great Trump/Putin/GOP mafia coalition as they make America Great for fraudsters, white-collar criminals, and oath-breakers.
9
"The books targeted for burning were those viewed as being subversive or as representing ideologies opposed to Nazism."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_book_burnings
None of the "Pro-Trump Digital Warriors" are promoting the elimination of ideologies that are in opposition to their own.
In fact, they are promoting an ideaology that all voices are heard.
There are many comments here opining that these "Pro-Trump Digital Warriors" should be silenced and censored.
My question to those people is: Who then truly resembles the perpetrators of the Nazi book burnings?
2
Then why do virtually all neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups like the KKK support Donald Trump?
2
You fail to address this in context. Legitimizing fringe voices on the right while thoroughly discounting voices from the left - never mind those behind the actual social media platforms - isn’t hearing unheard voices. People are condemning Tramp rightfully for legitimizing the most extreme and unscrupulous voices at the detriment of those who control media platforms and more liberal voices. How about just having a meeting with upstanding grown ups?
3
@Dan Funny, you are guilty of the same thing you accused John of. You didn't address anything he said, regardless of context. He made valid points and instead of addressing one of them, you just said your piece and let the chips fall where they may.
I'll do you a solid and give you the courtesy you failed to give John by addressing your points.
1) By holding a social media summit, Trump is acknowledging voices from various perspectives all along the political spectrum - not just fringe right. He invited Tim Pool, for one, and Tim is a moderate Democrat.
2) By extension, Trump is not discounting voices from the left because he is inviting voices from the Left to speak at the summit.
3) The real trend in social media isn't legitimizing the right and ignoring the left but the opposite. Just look at how Google and Youtube have changed their algorithm recently to favor nearly-exclusively left-biased legacy platforms like CNN, Huffpo, Wapo, Buzzfeed, and Comedy Central at the expense of individual political content creators. Read the leaked google emails that have been confirmed to be real by Google that provide tangible proof that engineers and mid-level execs are actively working to suppress conservative viewpoints.
3) You're anti-free speech and pro- censorship if you think it is right to silence people with unpopular or offensive viewpoints, regardless of their political leaning. That is outright un-American.
2
And now, Twitter is down... Hmmmmmm..
1
And Trump’s screaming at FOX, so what’s yer point?
@wordwench1 No it isn't.
The most disheartening thing about this is that they are effective at getting people to believe their message. For example:
Repeat lies enough and they become the truth.
Blame your opponent for that which you youself are guilty.
They have studied the techniques that the nazis used and the know them very well.
7
To the Editors:
Please stop referring to this event as a social media summit. This is a public relations, campaign event attended by grifters, charlatans, racists, misogynists, homophobes and fools, all intent on promoting the false notion that because their lies are not unquestioningly promulgated they are the victims of discrimination.
Today's Republicans are good at baselessly playing the victim. The New York Times is helping them.
19
Legacy media is so scared of these upstarts who can break the narrative stranglehold of controlled globalist outlets like the NYT. Many are now learning what’s really been going on as NYT suppresses inconvenient truths. The old media monopoly is dying with its last gasps. Goodbye.
3
Don’t be too quick to throw away disciplined, ethical media companies for agenda-driven individuals. There is nothing “legitimate” about James O’Keefe’s voice. He’s a huckster.
8
@Dan
Wouldn't it be better to expose him than to legitimize him thru censorship? If done properly no one would listen to him again.
@Brian
Unfortunately, there's always somebody to listen to these people.
1
Trump is an internet troll. Most interactive web sites should ban trolls.
9
Do these people see their reflections in a mirror?
3
Updated headline should read “White House hosts a who’s who of social media menaces and trolls”
10
Inviting propagandists and people who push the most bizarre conspiracy theories to the White House is akin to FDR inviting Julius Streicher the publisher of Der Stürmer.
5
@Merrill R. Frank
FDR's Social Security Ponzi scheme is a better example of a real "bizarre" propaganda scam that worked, no "akin" needed.
@Alice's Restaurant
Off topic and short sighted. Social insurance is not a Ponzi scheme. Elderly poverty has declined from 50% to under 10% over the past 60 years. How would those retirement communities in Florida and Arizona even exist?
Additionally there is dignity for the folks in their sunset years like most advanced and developing nations.
2
Right wing disrupter, if that means, getting arrested for entering a Federal Building under false pretenses. If it means, getting a cease and desist for his partner in California. If it means compiling a list of falsehoods and calling it a movie. Oh, NYT. I should cancel you.
1
Now tell me again who are the snowflakes? Who would ever have thought that a President of the United States would cry about how unfair he and his buddies are being treated by the big, bad, latte drinking, liberal elite? I'm reminded of the Lil Rascals and their boys' club. Can it get more pathetic and sad? (Knowing Trump definitely...)
6
@Lucas Lynch It was very hard to hear your point over the stunning amount of sarcasm saturating your every word.
Be honest, does anyone take you seriously in your life?
Now that that's out of the way....
Trump is not crying about the treatment of his buddies. Trump is addressing a very real threat to the US political system. Political censorship is rampant on social media platforms and that is where most of the conversations take place. The censorship tends to flow in only one direction: against Conservatives.
There is no doubt that if the situation were reversed and it was lefties and Democrats being censored, you'd be crying foul.
How hypocritical.
1
The original Fake News gang now bidding for victimhood . Ask O'Keefe about tape editing.
7
What could be more appropriate? Trump organizing a convocation of liars and bigots!
He and his cohorts are not post-truth, but anti-truth.
8
This is so seriously wrong .
These psychopaths promote hate, bigotry,lies, violence and all forms of discord and are being welcomed at the WH?
This is what it has come to?
5
"Conservative"?
White nationalists, nationalists, neo-Nazi, racists, climate deniers, anti-democracy agitators, yes.
But "conservatives"?
Let's not refer to arsenic as an unpleasant tasting liquid.
9
Wait. I thought this guy was a purveyor of 'fake news'.
I'm so not confused!
The White House is a Lark House.
https://www.newsweek.com/2018/02/02/james-okeefe-project-veritas-american-pravda-fake-news-781964.html
1
So the alt right social media victim squad is meeting with their supreme leader Trump. The little conservative trolls and the big presidential troll will exchange ideas on how to “own the libs” and bully social media into allowing them to peddle their hate without impediment. Ain’t that special. Alex Jones gonna be there? Perhaps he can give lessons on harassing traumatized families. Then they can have a symposium on 4chan activism and study pre war nazi propaganda techniques. Yep MAGA all the way, eh!
7
One more step closer to fascism.
5
@Travis Puck Yep. Because nothing says fascism like freedom of speech, anti-censorship, and freedom of assembly.
wink.
1
If I recall correctly Trump joked with Putin at the G20 about “getting rid of journalists.” We know how much Trump loves dictators who allow no free speech by anyone.
Descending into fascism while America sleeps.
Trump, McConnell, and Republicans Making America In the image of Russia and North Korea.
7
Aggrieved fascist.
A very select group indeed.
5
When I hear names like this described, I immediately think of propaganda and people like Goebbels.
9
So there will be a white supremacist rally at the White House.
10
How long before we have a Trumpian version of Kristallnacht?
5
Trump is performing a cookie-cutter how-to of destroying democracy, following in Adolph Hitler's footsteps:
Destroying the Free Press is exactly how to make fascism the rule of our country. If he steals the next election, as he likely will (what with all the gerrymandering, voter suppression, etc.) we can expect this to get much, much worse~ exactly like nazi Germany endured.
8
Who needs Russian trolls?
7
Ms. Ahussain tells us that "Enforcing basic standards of decency on social media isn’t censoring conservative speech"--then exactly what is it if it's not "censoring"?
More to Ahussain's thesis: Who gets to decide that "Hate speech is hate speech." Ahussain? And who does the "Enforcing"? Lenin's Bay Area 9th Circuit bench of clerics?
I can see why the Bill of Rights--America's "basic standards"?--seem to be a bit beyond her ken.
More to her point, though: Lenin to his 11th Congress, 1922: All criticism must be silenced.
1
Ah, yes, Orwellian "hate speech"--whatever the Cultural Marxists (or our Sovietized mass-media) don't want to hear. Lenin to his 11th Congress, 1922: All criticism must be silenced.
6
Whenever you see someone use the term “cultural Marxism” or some variant, you’re spending valuable seconds of your life considering the effluvium of an unemployed “alt-right” type usually seen in news footage brandishing a tiki torch and chanting.
6
What exactly objectively is hate speech?
As it turns out in the end it's stuff you don't agree with and have the power to ban, if you think I'm wrong provide a precise definition.
Also Google censored the project varitas video of a Google executive promising to interfere in the 2020 election against president trump. Maybe you all agree with that. It's ok for Google but not for Russia.
5
Without the tech companies represented, clearly this is a straight-up campaign event, not government business. Using taxpayer time and dollars for it is offensive.
9
These aren't Trump supporters. They're Trump's superiors. Trump and the Republican Party get their marching orders from the extremist alt-right. Good soldiers like Trump and Mitch do what the alt-right tells them to do. Twitter, 4chan and Youtube are running the country.
At least the Democrats are capable of standing up to extremists on the fringes. 2020 will be our chance to elect leaders who make their own decisions for a change.
4
These people are so afraid of change. It boggles the mind.
2
This is the same President that tried to block the critics on his Twitter feed who spoke out against him. A court order had to force the President to stop blocking critical voices since he is a public official. Another day, another example of hypocrisy from Trump.
7
This is about building an army of online soldiers for Trump now and possibly for later when he is out of the White House.
It's all about Mr.Trump and not about freedom of information like the Mr.Trump is pretending.
6
How is he holding a campaign event in the White House. Surely his campaign is paying for it?
4
The backlash against these hate-mongering propagandists should be massive and swift. I am not at all in favor of what goes on with Twitter, FaceBook and the like - the posts by demented liars, bullies and trolls, with Trump being the worst of the bunch. We need free speech but now there must be credible limits - with consequences (and not merely being “unfriended”).
We have re-entered the Wild West of liars and con artists, and that is very dangerous for a poorly-educated society like ours.
7
CNN ran a similar story today but with a more exacting headline:
"Trump invites right-wing extremists to White House 'social media summit'"
9
@Arno You're confused. I think you mean CNN ran a similar story with a more unethical headline.
They purport to be news but only run one side of the story. Certain individuals invited might be seen by some as extreme, but many are not. Many are centrists or even Democrats. Tim Pool was invited and he is a lefty journalist. But you don't hear NYT or CNN mentioning that because they want only one side of the story to be heard.
That you can't see that is concerning.
1
This time, Trump is a big fan.
He likes the wrong people,
what does that tell you?
8
@ Blue in Green
It tells me that the Mandarin Oriental hotel group may wish to reconsider the tagline they use in a lot of their ads, unfortunately.
1
Regarding the President's dislike for the results of Google searches on "Trump News":
I may very well be a noob, but aren't such search results individualized? I.e., the search results the President does not like could be a result of an obsession with checking out sites that allegedly are "fake". Thereby, the President is subject to the echo-chamber effect just like we all are. So, as a minimum, one could ask a Google representative a bit about search algorithms. But facts are stupid things as another President allegedly said.
In my democracy, a government conference on social media influences, where the premise is to "remedy" the presence of too many critical postings about the government, would be a non starter. Is it would rightfully be expected to be subject to so much ridicule that it would never be organized.
5
@HJ Google has been exposed through leaked emails, whistleblowers, and official company statements to be suppressing specifically Conservative viewpoints and boosting lefty/democrat ones. Jack Dorsey, owner of Twitter, has also admitted this is the case on his platform. Many social media giants do this.
The search results aren't a result of some kind of confirmation bias or self-fulfilling prophecy on the part of Trump. Google has an anti-Conservative bias and it boosts negative press about Trump.
Text below headline says “what they call” suppression (of content). Couldn’t NYT use the less offensive term “alleged” suppression? Bias in the media against conservatives and Trump supporters is rampant. Why not end this bias and move towards neutral reporting? Too hard? Or does corporate media desire to start a civil war? Good for ratings to create conflict but look where we are.
1
I think it's a shame these right wing people don't care about "the tremendous dishonesty, bias, discrimination and suppression practiced by" a particularly unfit president.
11,000 lies in 2-1/2 years is huge for anyone...
14
@Bonnie Yeah that 10,000 lies list or whatever put out by Vox (or whatever lefty publication) is heavily padded with mis-statements and unfavorable interpretations of what Trump might have meant.
I looked through it awhile ago. Immediately, in the first few examples you can see that what is flagged as a "lie" is easily either a) Trump being incorrect or b) a feat of mental gymnastics and selective fact checking to make Trump's words look dishonest.
The "10,000" lies is just about as real as the "70 cents on the dollar" wage gap myth.
@Dee: Are you sincerely saying that Trump is not a serial liar? That most if not all accusations that Trump is a serial liar are, at best, misinterpretations of his words, or, at worst, malicious and baseless attacks on his integrity? Let’s say even half of the accusations of lying are incorrect, is 5,000 lies okay?
And BTW, what makes you believe ¢70/$1.00 is a “myth?”
1
I am a great follower of PragerU. I don't understand why it is often censured, considering that their mini-videos are usually done by professionals and professors. Isn't that conservative censorship?
3
Why don’t you just go directly to that website instead of complaining about a third party serving it to you? Simple. Problem Solved.
2
@Greg Campbell How shortsighted.
You would have a problem with it if it was your camp being censored. So you're also being hypocritical here.
Take the long view. Or at least, not the 5-feet-in-front-of-your-face view. Google owns over 90% of the global digital advertising space. That means if it is suppressing and censoring conservatives, they are actively damaging conservative businesses and silencing conservative voices.
It means Google can influence elections to an extreme degree.
You might like that, given they seem to favor your camp -- for the time being.
But I'll wait for the moment they turn their sights on Democrats as well. I'll wait for the moment every one of you exposes yourself as a grifter who only cares about freedom of speech when your own access to it is stripped away.
Until that time, I'll remain concerned for both of us. After all, we're in this together.
2
Trump is sponsoring a seminar of fascists to share their hate, fuel weapons for his re-election campaign and distribute perversion all being paid for by American Taxpayers under the guise of the First Amendment.
10
@wm.h.evans Public officials can’t do campaigning, especially at the taxpayers’ expense.
I challenge anyone to objectively define hate speech.
If you're honest you'll realize in the end it's arbitrary.
4
Trump's use of the White House (the people's house) in a manner that harms whole races of people should be grounds for his impeachment. If he wants to hold meetings for fringe hate groups he should do it somewhere else, but not on public property.
25
The Democrats would be wise to borrow from the alt-right playbook. Social media campaigns against McConnell, Collins, Nunez, and all the others like them should be well-funded, carefully crafted, and vicious. We are clearly in a post-reality political world where such tactics are necessary.
15
@JNR2
Yes, this is so much better than censorship.
@JNR2 yes, division will unify the country.
War is Peace.
Freedom is Slavery.
Ignorance is Strength.
@Dee
While I appreciate the Orwellian reference I think it's a bit too late to worry about division. Healing? Would be nice, but I can't imagine it. I think there will have to be much more destruction before there will be healing.
Why not just have Fox News start up a social media platform? Then we can visit the zoo when we want to. I can imagine the algorithms they would develop.
5
Whose paying for this pro trump rally. RNC or taxpayers.
10
How is the president getting away with this? It is a meeting in the White House to promote Trump propaganda and discredit opponents. The president must have been tweeting for hours this morning. Is there anyone with any sense in charge?
17
And during this conference, all involved will engage in a solemn discussion of Jamal khashoggi and how the house of Saud deprived him of his rights. Just kidding. As far as these people are concerned, only the right has rights, and the farther right and crazier you are, the more rights you're supposed to have.
8
Be best! Just say no to bullying.
7
Warriors or criminals?
2
@garlic11
If you count thought crimes maybe.
Since when are hate groups welcome into the WH for official business?
10
@Bob Some time after hate groups like ANTIFA were praised and constantly defended by mainstream news publications (such as the NYT) despite being labeled a domestic terrorist group, I imagine.
These are white supremacists filtered through PR aka Alt-Right commentators. Every NYT reader needs to spend time on 4chan, 8chan, Discord, and secret FB groups to understand how white supremacists are operating through the Trump admin and internet to maintain power and attack liberalism. This is a war begun since the French Revolution of the Enlightenment vs. the dark forces of racism, authoritarianism, and Robber Baron capitalism.
These people are cruel, sexist, and anti-Semitic. They lie through their teeth and howl in laughter at people who think they are proponents of the First Amendment. They are gleeful at images of Latino children separated from their families in overcrowded cells. Voter turnout of only 61% led to Trump winning in 2016 by 0.03% in the Electoral College... make sure that doesn't happen in 2020.
17
@John W
Spot on.
5
@John W
The best thing to do is allow them to advertise their hatred. Censoring them makes it seem like they have a point. Do you want to silence flat earthers? Also where do you stop?
1
I have been on twitter since its inception. I have never used profanity or crude language. I follow politics/ reporters/ my senators and congressman. Last Sunday, I commented on the hate toward Senator Harris; essentially tweeting that the haters would like to see those they disagree with die. I heard from twitter....suspended for 7 for saying : DIE. Anyway, twitter is not kidding. I think they are tightening up on everyone including Donny and his followers.
4
@Mary Ah, someone gets the big picture. Not many on the left do. And the Right is only more aware of what's going to happen because they're currently the ones targeted.
It's going to hit all of us. Right now it looks like political censorship but soon enough it will be revealed as apolitical. After all, their goal isn't to prop up one party but to grab control over the whole system itself.
I wait for his karma to catch up, I just hope the cost to the USA is not too high.
6
@Grain Boy If Karma is playing a game of catchup, it's got a long journey ahead of it before reaching Trump.
It's got to reach Obama first after all, what with him assassinating US citizens in foreign countries and ordering 20,000 drone strikes that caused hundreds of thousands of lives to be lost (many of them women and children).
This social media stunt for right-wing bullies is a waste of my tax money--and all in the service of Trump's re-election campaign.
Where is the conservative rage over this grotesque waste?
12
Trump should be booted from Twitter.
12
@dakine That would violate the Constitution, especially now that it was decided Trump cannot block anyone on Twitter.
I never thought I would see such a grotesque spectacle at the White House. To think of the many historic and important events that have taken place there and now Donald Trump permits, gleefully, to have the White House besmirched in this manner. Truly one of the absolute low points in the history of the White House, the Presidency and our country.
10
News flash: Obnoxious, slandering, lying internet trolls find themselves subject to "bias".
What could explain this?
9
If you need to remind people you are smart, you probably are not that smart.
If you need to tell people you are great looking, you probably are not attractive neither.
Too bad the occupant of the White House lacks any self awareness.
9
Fascism begins and ignites with disinformation and fear. The GOP’s silence on the use of the extreme right for their selfish ends exhibits they are complicit. Is power and money worth discarding our democracy Mr. McConnell?
338
@A.L.
Mitch McConnell is perfectly fine with this as long as he keeps his power and money. Your mistake is thinking he wouldn't be.
100
@A.L.
As another commentor indicated in another past article (regarding McConnell), I'll be donating money to the campaign of the person who runs against McConnell.
Amy McGrath!
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/07/09/us/politics/ap-us-election-2020-kentucky-senate-mcgrath.html?searchResultPosition=4
50
@A.L.
Power and money are all that matters to these people.
The Republican Party is a business.
The bottom line is all that matters.
39
Why should those promoting hate speech enjoy the protection of the President of the United States?
Who are we?
414
@Jeffrey Schantz No, not 'who are we,' but, just WHAT is He, Pence, and the other Cabinet choices. (Acosta, Carson, DeVoss, ad nauseam).
26
@Jeffrey Schantz
We are the ones who willingly participate in our own debasement and degradation. We are the ones who pretend to be helpless as we watch this grotesque charade to continue with out thinking it through and voting out the entire gop.
That is who we are. Land of the freak and the home of the knave.
38
@Jeffrey Schantz
It is more than protection of hate coming from Trump. He is creating it from the bully pulpit, urging others to spew hate and lies that are unbelievable in their deceit and audacity.
Trump will attempt to steal the 2020 election. He should be removed from office using the 25th amendment. No time (or legislative consensus) for impeach and convict! If our form of democracy is valid and functional this must be done.
35
This conference seems an effort to incentivize those most likely to speak to his base...ramping up to 2020 elections. Should be illegal somehow.
It has been said at times the Trump wants to start a "news" organization/TV station that fronts his views. This seems like a good start.
8
Wow, remember when conservatives had their own political party? And newspapers and magazines and wrote books? And with all that a related social media presence? Too bad that's all suppressed now and we need a White House summit to resurrect it.
11
Every day is another opportunity for Trump to close the avenues of accountability and to dilute even the most basic concept of offense.
This morning's "social media summit" chills me to the bone, a summoning of the most malignant and vicious far-right ruffians who belong -- by dint of their tenuous grasp of reality and decency -- in the darkest, least visited corners of public exchange. Like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, they "will not be ignored," protected by an umbrella of "free speech" even as the right of others to disregard or disagree with them is besieged.
Trump's escalation of attacks on Facebook, Google and Twitter -- arguably his lifeblood -- and his vow to "not let them get away with it much longer" is not strictly about the perceived (and unsubstantiated) censorship of his supporters but also, dangerously, about suppressing the voices of those who disagree with him. I would think this morning's guest list confirms that.
13
Russian election sabotage through disinformation proved so successful for him that Mr. Trump has decided to forge a domestic unit, much like Fox News is the propaganda equivalent to RT — the enemy within.
Mr. Trump’s willingness to subvert democracy if it’s to his benefit grows by the day as long as it remains unchecked. Right now, only the courts are standing in the breach. It is time for the House to begin impeachment for his failure to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.
21
If these conservative groups really want to change social media, why don’t they invite the big social media groups? This almost seems like an exclusive meeting for the conservative right to talk about other methods for domination and mask it over with the hyped of their version of “social media”.
2
If you're holding a conference on social media and don't invite Facebook and Google you're not serious. Trump. as usual, isn't serious.
8
Clearly, it has dawned on Mr. Trump that:
1. Mr. Putin's "bloggers" played an extremely important role in his 2016 election (granted, he never admits that);
2. For the 2020 election, the US national security agencies will not allow Russian "bloggers" influence the US public on Mr. Trump's behalf, as they did in 2016.
So, for the 2020 election, Mr. Trump has decided to create his own army of "bloggers", which undoubtedly will be based on the Russian "bloggers" model. Don't be surprise if some of Mr. Trump's "bloggers" just happen to have some connection to Russia.
13
Yet another impeachable offense. How many more abuses of power is America going to take?
5
This is truly alarming. A government supported gathering of trolls and disinformation specialists for political gain. What if a President had a symposium with standard media - print and television - to explore how to suppress criticism of the administration?
They all need to be thrown off Twitter, especially 45.
9
Pandora's Box is open of course but politician should be permitted to use any form of social media for official publication. It is mind-blowing people worldwide have walked so blindly into this trap when so many of us saw this coming. Trump's repeated attempts to filter his audience is proof of that. In addition to being unregulated these platforms are specifically engineered to eliminate our curiosity and act on impulse instead. Twitter allows 280 characters, about 50 words per post (was 140). That guarantees a politics of pure sloganism and zero room for facts.
4
Trump supporters will stay united. The goal of these trolls is misinformation and to divide the opposition.
7
These people may self identify as “conservatives” but they are reactionary anarchists. They want things back to a period that existed only in their very selective memories and they want to impose this fantasy on the rest of the world. Don’t let them.
10
"Hey guys, only by working together can we drive the spike of hatred deeper and further than ever before."
11
Encouraged, the madness continues and escalates.
6
So Donald will never be happy until these lunatic sites are given the same credence as legitimate news organizations. Since that isn't going to happen, this is really just a stunt to highlight his and his followers perpetual victimhood. In other words, he will never be happy. Too much of his support depends on stoking and maintaining that sense of grievance.
3
It must rankle alt-right denizens like Alex Jones, James O’Keefe et al, that they could never build giant social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. They simply do not have the skills, and would not even be let in the door of any venture capital firm to present their “alt-right” business plan. No advertiser would use such a platform. And so, these pathetic whiners are merely riding on rocket ships created by others. Facebook and Twitter have every right to screen and delete vile content from any source. It just so happens that the overwhelming majority of vile content comes from the right.
12
Another day, another example of deplorable behavior. Throw in defying the Supreme Court and we move one more step toward the dismantling of our democracy.
I, for one, will not have this incoherent and vile degenerate wear down my disgust and outrage.
Hey, Pat Toomey, despite the democrats incompetent response to all things trump, we won’t forget your silence during all of this when you run again.
6
When a broad range of fringe groups and individuals are pulled together like this we often learn they don't really get along well or agree on much. Most are so invested in their own beliefs that they can't compromise with others. So we likely won't see any substantial show of unity here.
The downside is they can be unified by a ruthless leader. We've seen that happen.
5
If these keyboard warriors want to meet and assert their right to free speech, that’s fine. But for the White House to host such a gathering is a disgrace to the institution and an affront to the people of this country. We are better than this.
13
Too bad Jeffrey Epstein already booked, he would have been a good addition to the guest list.
1
What business do these people have being in the White House in the first place? They have nothing to do with the country’s business.
12
And we are paying for it.
3
@Seldoc
Unfortunately, they apparently have a great deal to do with this country's business. Now we know.
4
If you can't stand the heat, stay off Twitter.
1
The Constitution promises these hate mongers a right to speak. It doesn't promise them a venue. On the bright side, it would be nice to see the tables turned on Fox and other purveyors of fake news, forcing them to open their platforms to liberal groups.
6
So there was a 2020 campaign recruitment meeting in the White House?
11
When bottom feeders rise to the surface too quickly, their eyes sometimes pop out of their heads and their innards distend out their mouths. However, if they are slowly returned to their proper habitat they can sometimes survive.
3
The stench out of the White House is now suffocating. When the fire started by Putin in 2016 reaches 2020, America will be so disfigured that its glorious past will seem like a mirage in a field of ruins. Trump is pushing as much fascism as existing cracks in American institutions would allow. I am still confident they will eventually find the mettle to crush the beast, as they have done before.
4
A virtual who’s who in Trump’s propaganda & disinformation campaign.
11
This man is sickening. His hate can’t continue. You may not like the front running democratic candidate able to beat Trump, but you must vote for him or her in 2020.
5
He sure is good at slapping millions of people in the face, including Pres. Obama. You remember him...graduated from Columbia, Harvard Law, law professor at Northwestern, two-term president with no scandals. trump hates that stuff. Anything good is worth the destruction under the trump administration.
And don't give me that "I like what he's done with the economy" stuff. You own it, republicans, groping, lying, hoax-speak, birtherism, and hating. You elected manafort, miller, cohen, conway, bannon, kushner, ivanka, mcconnell, sanders, pruitt, barr, zinke, devos, arpaio, et al. These are your people.
13
@ Nancie
They’ve basically weaponized the giant chip on Trump’s shoulder.
1
They should bring in those 9,500 people in border protection and their Facebook forum. That would complete the circle.
4
This meeting looks like a strategy session for Trump's 2020 disinformation campaign.
Putin probably tutored Trump in their last secret tryst." It's getting too hot for the Russian trolls to help- better use some homegrown trolls".
13
Pure and simple fascism. The backbone of democracy is bending. We must prevent it from breaking.
28
This sounds more like a 21st century Wannsee conference for wanna-be for minor league white supremacists. Keep track of the attendees and we'll know who to schedule war crime trials against in 10 years.
24
These fringe groups dont exist without technology platforms and since only warped people are in the closets of Facebook, this is just another hate meeting being held at the White House and the taxpayers are paying for it .
Since Facebook doesn't take down streaming murders or white Neo Nazi's, groups I dont understand what in the world they are making up of being harassed by Google?. There followers can find them and the rest of the thinking world doesn't have to be bothered with there rants.
Trump sure proved the British Ambassador with his ravings wrong he is indeed, a stable genius from Mars.
3
What a joke.
7
When all you do is spread racism and hate you should be censored. It's that simple.
33
(Any Neal Stephenson fans here? ‘Fall, or Dodge in Hell’ anyone...?)
The Miasma has gone prime time...
1
Taxpayers should not be paying for an event with such a blatantly partisan agenda and such disagreeable actors.
53
This is outrageous as usual, but what can our society do about it? The haters are winning right now and there does not seem to be any good ideas about how to work with those who want to disseminate hate speech. These too are Americans and they are not going to go away just because democrats think they are terrible and wrong. When hate speech becomes more mainstream it is merely a symptom of a system that does not work for too many people. They only become important when enough people are desperate enough to seek out alternatives and hear the haters. The haters put just enough truth in their messages to almost make sense. Where are the alternatives that can actually help? When will democrats actually make change that can make peoples lives better? When will democrats learn how to play hardball and come together as a team? There will always be haters and strange people with strange theories but they can be drowned out by real change for the better by a team that sticks together and stays on message. Get it together democrats!
5
This is at least interesting in terms of developing a list, for future reference. Hopefully someone will get the names of all attendees and made sure that the word is spread.
10
@Craig.... so we can support them.
With maybe interceding and doing something to get that whole homeless thing cleaned up, Infrastructure Week and replacing Obamacare with something really terrific, I’m surprised Don could find the time for this summit. At least he has won a terrific victory in the War on Christmas.
1
Trolls meeting to plan a flood of disinformation to disrupt our society in the social networks. They are a source of noise and no useful signal.
16
It seems the main policy/platform of this administration is to make it easier for liars and cons of this world to spread their misinformation and scam people. Trump seems to want to make it much more acceptable to cheat people out of money, time and information.
I think we know why this is: without misinformation what does Trump have? With strong laws against ill-gotten gains, how would the Trumps make money?
28
@JLC
the old fashioned American way: cheating on their taxes.
4
Mr. Parscale needs to be equally supportive of those who seek to end the right wing violence and terror unleashed by these ads he is advocating for and the GOP needs to answer for the national security issues that they have allowed by NOT doing more to curb foreign influence in our elections, specifically Russia’s. ‘The GOP’, President Truman stated during the McCarthy era,’was(is) more interested in partisan advantage than in national security’. Justice will be served. The day of reckoning is coming from those like McCarthy, his lawyer Roy Cohn and Trump who seek to divide and conquer Americans to their advantage. We know who you are and we’ll hold you to account.
6
I have left all social media and deleted all my accounts. Now after being off it for so long it’ seems so immature and crazy that people still spend their time consuming it. It has not made us better and has destroyed what made the internet good and fun. I suggest everyone leave social media behind. Just tell your friends and family to text and email you family pictures. If you really care about somebody you’ll find the time to give them a call or text them.
25
@Greg Campbell yea, let’s just collectively bury our head in the sand then maybe, just maybe this whole fascism and propaganda thing will not be happening or will fly by without affecting us. Tried last century and failed, but do we ever learn?
1
“I think it’s a win for this country that the forum is happening,” Mr. Kirk said in an interview. “It definitely is a listening session for the administration to be able to gather facts and data.”
Facts and data are not things that trump does well. Innuendo, lies and mis-statements are his stock in trade. The gathering of his mouthpieces is another campaign event.
Does attendance by his campaign manager make this event payable by the trump campaign, or are taxpayers going to have to pay for more trump campaign advertising and election efforts?
BTW, conservative speakers and media are not being suppressed. Lying and inflammatory conservative speakers and media are being shown the rules that Facebook, Google and twitter have in place. If that feels like suppression, then so be it.
13
“The Fake News is not as important, or as powerful, as Social Media.” This may be correct. No where is there a mention "factual" or "truth."
5
The only thing Trump offers to these far-right online trolls is validation of their victimhood identity.
The news media is out to get them, tech companies are out to get them, their jobs are being stolen by immigrants, the PC police are censoring them.
It's truly pathetic.
18
@Jeff it would be truly pathetic if it wasn’t POTUS endorsing it. With his powers it becomes tragically dangerous.
3
Without social media, most people wouldn't have ever heard of this collection of talentless trolls and malcontents.
13
Trump's ego is so fragile, now he needs be surrounded and flattered by his professional ego squad. Pence and McConnell are just not good enough.
10
Only the best people. Trust me.
9
Most people whom I know would be embarrassed to acknowledge that these invitees to the White House live in their neighborhood. The only thing that qualifies them to receive this White House invitation is that they are Trump sycophants who will say anything in defense of Trump and do anything to attack his enemies. They are a disgraceful group of people whom I would never invite for any reason into my house.
So what does it say about the person who has invited this group of people into the White House? Why does he need to provide these people with the honor of receiving an invitation to the White House? What does it say about his psychological makeup, his emotional stability and needs, his integrity?
4
The irony of complaining about “fake news” and then holding a conference for people who create and spread doctored videos and disinformation is palpable
18
It's a strategy meeting for 2020 messaging. Maybe Trump doesn't think Russian bots will be enough this time.
16
The problem with conservative social media is that so much of it is infected with hate. Bigotry on social media - especially conservative social media - is rampant. If you take away their hateful content, they lose eyeballs. Obviously they don't like that, but that not's discrimination. This whole idea that conservatives are being unfairly treated on social media is ludicrous. They're just afraid that Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc. will start enforcing their terms of service.
8
Hosting hate groups at taxpayer expense. I'm don't like the idea of paying for a lavish meal for hate mongers.
13
Hamberders?
1
I would be interested to hear the thoughts of two women in particular:
Melania: What are you thoughts on this with regards to your "Be Best," campaign? And by the way, how's that working out in general?
Pelosi: You recently dismissed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the NYTimes by saying "these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world." The implication seemed to be a flippant attitude towards online followings and beliefs. While the broader point you were making was that although AOC has a large online following she was not able to muster votes in the House, does seeing what is happening at the White House make you think maybe you're a bit behind the times, and the large online followings actually do mean something?
Trump has managed to stoke a rabid online following, and he caters to them by retweeting their content and now hosting them. Increasingly people obtain their news from social media rather than traditional platforms. It's likely more people will see an internet troll's meme than read this article. I think the "public whatever and Twitter world," may be a group you should not so quickly dismiss.
32
In the first place, a huge chunk of Trump’s twitter following appears to be completely phony.
In the second place, most voters don’t get in twitter and yammer. There’s very good reason to think that most Democrats’ views are far more conservative than yours or mine, and that AOC and others are living in a Thermos bottle.
1
Please change the word summit to abyss to reflect more accurately the depths to which Donald has dragged the office of the Presidency.
64
@NJLATELIFEMOM
I'd also request changing "warrior" to something less aggrandizing. These aren't warriors; they're trolls, churlish whiners, and—to use internet parlance—"keyboard tough guys."
10
@NJLATELIFEMOM Cesspool is more accurate and polite.
2
“The guest list has alarmed critics who fear it is bringing together people who disseminate threats, hate speech and actual fake news, and who sometimes have their messages elevated with the velocity of a presidential tweet.”
Get ready for the most money inundated, contentious, and intensely anti-social presidential election donnybrook in US history.
Trump knows no bounds, no propriety, no honesty, and no limits to his rampant, run amok narcissism.
The Russians must be giddy and gleeful at the amazing opportunity to take their election meddling to exponentially more invasive and effective heights.
57
It is all done right out in the open. There is no shame in doing what they are doing...in their mind's eye.
So how does the left lean in on this? How can we protect ourselves from these type of actions that are so repugnant?
20
Decouple the establishment politicians on both sides of the aisle from the donor class.
Boom.
Result: Representative democracy
5
The First Amendment, in the context of free speech, was originally intended to allow people to say what they thought without fear of prosecution. At that time the only way to publish your thoughts was to stand on a street corner or distribute a written copy. In this age of globalized information the literal application of the amendment is a recipe for disaster. There have to be some rules or extremists and foreign powers will take advantage, as we've seen.
Even back in 1789 there were laws of libel and slander, which protected people from harm by "fake" information. We need something similar to deal with the present situation. Don't ask me how we do that in an even-handed way but we need to think about how to address the problem, rather than throwing more propaganda at it.
13
@PJ “How to address the problem” is a good question especially when it’s possible that emerging technologies can distort what we recognize as valid information (ie video from a proceeding) and current algorithms already siphon information feeds based on the viewers previous viewing / searches. I’m referencing the facial and voice manipulation via video among other newer technologies. I’d like to see additional reporting about what is propaganda, how to identify, and how to combat.
2
Don't feed the trolls. Trump is trying to provoke outrage, when really this is nothing new. There are more important events going on—we on the left and sane side of politics shouldn't take his bait.
14
@ Rauldougou
A good reminder to keep our eye on the ball in terms of important issues.
An absurd metaphor, perhaps, but this does does seem like another one of his signature “lobbing a bag of cockroaches into a pajama party” moves, combined with a side order of sycophants and always-needed ego-boosting.
2
This sounds like a lovely gathering
1
Alex Jones = William F. Buckley.
That's what this administration, and the Republican Party, want people to believe.
14
You've helped whitewash James O'Keefe. He does not merely "capture" secret recordings: he selectively edits them to turn them into propaganda or disinformation. You might also have mentioned his criminal attempt to bug U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu's campaign office.
Also, Trump wants to gather "facts and data" on how social media and search engines treat him and his ilk. He does the same on a very few other issues (concocted or not), such as crimes of illegal/undocumented immigrants. But in all other cases, he shuns or subverts the gathering, analysis, dissemination, and personal knowledge of facts and data from every quarter. In that he is not alone; Republicans nationwide are the enemies of truth. They scrub the data and language they don't like from government documents and websites. (As with many stances and activities of the Trump administration, this destruction of inconvenient truths began under Bush 43 and of course farther back with Fox "News," especially with climate science. Real news media must make these continuities plainer.)
Third, Trump and right-wingers who think or pretend they're the ones who know and defend the Constitution show their ignorance yet again. The First Amendment protects them from government censorship but no other kind. The court decision forbidding Trump from blocking his critics on Twitter might have alerted him to that fact, but he must have conflated the court's strictures on him with Twitter's ability to prohibit speech it doesn't want.
16
Can we not call these people "Twitter warriors"? They are cowards who spout division and hatred from behind a keyboard (or sometimes a camera). They hurl vitriol into the world and cause suffering for others with no risk to themselves. Hardly warriors.
26
Major news organizations choose not to publish goofy, ignorant and uninformed opinions - liberal, conservative or otherwise. If there happens to be more uninformed opinions coming in from conservatives, that is not the fault of the publisher.
3
It's basically just a small MAGA rally: Trump gets positive reinforcement and the (supposed) validation of all his 'grievances' while his fans experience the warm glow of a president telling them they're NOT stupid or racists.
16
@LBW
when that is ALL they are
1
This comments section should be titled "Hyperbole," and you folks on the far left define "hate speech" as just about any sentiment that criticizes or goes contrary to your leftist viewpoints. The terms "racist," "Fascist," and "bigot" are losing all relevance because you casually ascribe them to pretty much everyone right of center. Silicon Valley's censorship of conservatives is a reality, and the real Fascists in America can be found on the Far Left end of the political spectrum.
And sure, I've added to the hyperbole on this comments thread, but believe there's more inherent truth in mine, than most of the other.
3
Really? Can't see the hate these people advocate? Herein lies the problem.
6
It’s funny—all the right-wing free-thinkers say the same things, and none of ‘em ever seem to provide even a smidgen of evidence. They’re not much on the details of us lefties, either, let alone noticing that some of the people they’re entangled with are shooting people and strutting down the street with torches.
Are there idiots like Antifa out there? Sure. Do some college kids get way too full of themselves? Sure. Are some of the types on MSNBC unwatchable? Absolutely. Do leftist idiocies exist? Of course. Is there such a thing as leftish Purity screamers? Well yeah.
But we’re not shooting people, firebombing clinics, hanging around with literal Nazis. We’re not completely caught up in fantasies straight out of Chuck Norris movies.
You want repressiveness? Try FOX&Friends. Or Ann Coulter and Dinesh d’Souza. Try the crackpot Christian movies. Try Kevin Swanson, who argued that we should wait to hang people until after he’d taken over the World Church and given everybody a chance to repent.
5
I’m confused. I can name about 15-20 conservative voices on Twitter. Who’s being censored?
4
So let me get this straight. The most powerful man on Earth, Donald Trump uses Twitter to spew out lies by the thousands but that very platform is guilty of censoring conservative voices? What utter nonsense.
11
But, if they are also a bunch of great looking stable geniuses, as Trump just pointed out in a tweet that he is, maybe we'll learn some geniusy stuff, you know, like math stuff, like how Trump just tweeted that Elizabeth Warren is 42 Native Americans. Bet those eggheads at MIT didn't know how to compute that.
And -- fingers crossed -- if they're as great looking as Trump ... (please please please). Can we see some abs?
5
Emperor Trump's "Twitter Warriors" and his Empire's "meme-makers", like Carpe Donktum, are the paramount example, IMHO, of what might more correctly be called "analogy-non-thinkers" [George Lakoff]--- who throw-out (or up) the 'basest', simple-minded, and inane memes.
3
"Conservative" in America means "economically freeze out the brown people (in the hope that they will disappear) and disrupt any attempts to do otherwise."
2
Everyday he ups the ante on racism. I think drop Twitter.
Red Alert...
Expect the mass disinformation campaigns shift into it's highest gear.
While Democrats are dillydally with impeachment inquiry, the radical agenda is blatantly spreading it's assault
wings, with no fear of consequences.
The question persist, should Democrats fight fire with fire...
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." Martin Luther King, Jr.
or...
"Fighting fire with fire only gets you ashes!" Abigail Van Buren.
4
How to be a professional Victim, and Scam a lot of Money in the process.
Do any of the Folks have a real Job ??? Ever ?
5
If trump is so wealthy, why are my tax dollars being used to pay for a racist propaganda summit?
If trump wants to pull together a bunch of racists and have a conference he should pay for it. Not taxpayers.
13
It sounds as though the real fake news is collaborating on a game plan for 2020.
6
Yet another event undoubtedly paid for with tax dollars that should have been charged back to his campaign. Absence of Twitter, Google, and FB is damning. He's rallying his cadre of social media goons.
20
Was Putin invited too?
64
@EW either Putin hacked into the pertinent accounts and arranged the meeting
2
@EW
I'm sure he has full representation there so they can report back regarding his puppet's performance.
4
This is a campaign strategy meeting... paid for by taxpayers! Have campaign & election laws been eliminated too?
Every single day this administration breaks the rules, aka laws. And what's to be done about it? Apparently, nothing.
Everyday, lawlessness by trump & co. But immigrants! Squirrel!
52
@Heidi A Begin impeachment proceedings immediately. Every day he chips away at law and civility.
6
Propaganda works very well in an echo chamber.
27
and Melania is the guest speaker??????
16
@Lorraine Anne Davis
Trump knows that the men in the room have spent their lives angry that they can never seem to get close to the hot women they 'deserve'--he's doin' them a solid! C'mon, we know he's not above trotting out the women in his life to show them off onstage...
6
Sure! What's more effective than reinforcing ignorance with the opinions of the pre-eminently ignorant?
10
I can just see Putin and his people, feet up, drinking some vodka watching the USA implode, as per the plan. You people can't even come together to enjoy a World Cup championship because your POTUS was insulted by a soccer player. After 5 more years of this what will be left of America? It is only going to get worse. Think of how immune you are to it now.
17
@Sean
I often think of the Putin plan as well. Genius. Don't forget about Britain /Brexit, France/ Yellow vest, Italy, etc.. Western disarray without firing a shot.
2
Tell me, Mr. Trump, how exactly do you plan to shut down dissenting voices?
Executive orders?
For what?
To shutdown Twitter?
To shutdown Facebook?
To shutdown the NY Times?
To shutdown CNN?
To shutdown this comment from a nobody?
Pray tell. Give us your plan.
19
@J. Swift
Plan? he only knows how to rant, that is his full time plan, ranting the same thing over and over. Loved his statement about kidney 's yesterday. It was priceless
2
I am gay and Jewish. I would really like to post some stuff on Stormfront or Daily Stormer. They keep censoring me - bwaaaa!
The White House (at our expense) is limited to two initiatives:
1. Get Trump re-elected and;
2. Making money/obtaining financing for the Trump family.
This summit - without Facebook, Google and Twitter - is just another campaign stunt along with his immigrant roundup.
I admit it. Trump drives me nuts. But what really drives the bat guano is the fact that about a third of our citizenry is either too dull or too incurious to understand what he is doing.
58
Are they calling it "troll-con"?
28
More fascism, and fascist projection.
Trump, who has consistently attacked the press and the very idea of freedom of the press, now gathers a group of paranoids at the White House so they can whine about how they are picked on. Of course, that gives them the justification to pick on others — try to turn Google, Facebook, etc. into right-wing platforms.
There is nothing “conservative” about what these neo-Nazis are trying to promote online. It’s hate speech, and should be regulated as such. To the extent that the social media companies are able to do so, society as a whole is far better off.
Alex Jones. Good grief!
27
Is Alex on the list!?
1
The Trump administration is despicable.
20
I don't know why, but this setup feels like it could be the big scene in "Inglourious Basterds".
11
Skip the “bas” part and it’s more appropriate.
1
@Mileage Runner
one can dream
1
Trump wants to further expand the reach of the online racists and hatemongers - they all support him.
13
"Calling out my racism is just as bad as racism."
--the GOP, 2019
22
If I was a social “conservative” — full disclosure: I cannot rightly claim to be — I would be angry that true conservatism has been hijacked by hate-filled liars and ersatz religionists. Lying is not conservative; it’s just lying. Deliberately disseminating disinformation is not conservative; it’s just pernicious. Hate and bigotry are not conservative; they’re just ignorant hate and bigotry. Wielding a false cudgel of religion in the name of power and money is not conservative; it’s just lust and greed.
Trump’s and alt-right complaints about the suppression of putatively “conservative” voices are mostly complaints about being called out on their own lies, disinformation and bigotry. You want to have a debate? Sounds good to me — as long as you keep it factual and honest, and as long as you don’t continue to spout deliberate lies.
30
@Scott Fordin
They can't and they won't. The silence is an endorsement but the GOP has never really been factual on most issues, e.g. trickle down economics, because they represent what's best for the few.
I find this article’s description of the gathering of con men, liars and trolls with Trump absolutely terrifying. Seriously.
Thank you for publishing. But per others’ comments here, please more accurately describe the attendees, who are definitely not legitimate conservatives but frightening actors in a play I do not want to live through or watch.
Will our Trumpian nightmare never end? Certainly not soon enough.
30
@Suzanne
Sorry, Suzanne, but as long as the "legitimate conservatives" remain silent then they ARE this bunch.
i.e., Don't be expecting David Brooks or Thom Friedman to be devoting vigorous columns condemming this.
They know exactly who Trump is and, if you have noticed, these nice, "centrist" men never speak of the Jack Boots.
Nor will Nancy Pelosi or Schumer be speaking out.
Nor will Melania.
Or Ivanka.
There are no more "legitimate conservatives".
1
@rosa
I get your point. So-called moderate Republican pundits will say nothing against this meeting of deplorable social media pundits. But legitimizing these highly destructive, highly inflammatory hate mongers with the political label “conservative” is inaccurate and misleading.
The NYT must preserve journalistic protocol, especially now, but NYT protocol lags in accurately describing this group, which is far more than “conservative”. Trump is not just using them to rally his base, he is testing, blurring and pushing Americans’ ability to tell truth from propaganda. The N.Y. Times’ slowness to accurately adapt language to fit the reality endangers truth and ultimately democracy.
2
Silenced? Not hardly. I ditched all social media a year ago because of all of those hateful “conservative” voices and endless conspiracy theories. Actually, I think this is probably more of a strategy session than anything else - Trump is coordinating the media campaign for his reelection bid and he’s calling in all of his most ardent supporters to formulate a coordinated effort.
10
Quit posting things that aren't true, and you won't get kicked off. Simple as that.
11
Since when did freedom of speech become a right to be heard? Social media companies can and should block whoever they want from using their platforms.
These people can say whatever crazy nonsense they want but that doesn't mean anyone is obligated to listen. What's next? Demanding that publishing companies print every book ever written? Should TV stations now broadcast every video ever created? What about newspapers? Should they print every article anyone ever writes?
This is so childish.
18
@Matt D
Good points. Also, wasn't it the Reagan administration that ended the equal time rule for broadcast editorials? Just sayin'.
3
When the use of fear mongering, prejudice and all the negative qualities of humanity are employed to win elections, this is the sort of event I would expect to see.
This does not make anyone great, though they may win through the use of deceit.
7
They're kidding, right? I can't count the Facebook "friends" my husband and I have unfriended over offensive right- wing posts. And we'd had no idea of their views until they proudly unleashed them on FB.
10
The phony king and his fake knights ... it's a classic ... and the republicans sit eerily silent ...
8
That caption should read, "James O'Keefe, convicted criminal, will attend the conference."
9
2020 Democratic candidates take note.
You should show the world the kind of hatred, disinformation and propaganda that Trump endorses.
And the silence of the Republican Party is also an endorsement of these trolls. Use this in your election ads.
11
"All the best people"
9
@Maryellen Simcoe.
You should know by now Trump only hires “all the best people”. Everyone else are “people of low moral character”.
Our tax dollars are paying to entertain and feed these goons.
11
I wonder if Putin and his trolls are on conference call with this meeting.
16
I’ve been on restriction since the fake president responded to his latest accuser’s rape accusations and I responded angrily and insultingly to him. But I did not violate the restrictions regarding hate speech they cited for suspending me- I merely cursed at him.
I appealed and have been waiting that long for a reply that I suspect will never come. Eventually I might delete my tweet though I may start over on principle. After losing access to my original account where I had actual followers (due to dual authentication snafu on a phone upgrade), it doesn’t matter. But with all the times I’ve been forced to delete tweets at him or FOX propagandists - I can anecdotally tell him and you it is not just conservatives. 🤣.
Yet I don’t see the white supremacist in chief inviting any of the rest of us to discuss it. Because he is nothing but an egomaniac and a tool- oh, and a rapist and rape apologist. And I can’t wait for twitter and facebook to be obsolete. They are partly responsible for this mess. I would never have dreamt of cursing at a president publicly, or of wasting so much time on these sites, but it’s a propaganda war and I feel our individual minimum is to counter the lies.
6
Didn't Alex Jones of Infowars get an invite?
4
You can tell we are getting closer to the next election. Trump is going "Steve Bannon" again. Our "billionaire" president sucks all the oxygen out of every room, 24 / 7, and still he complains about lack of access in the media. He is the most boorish and exhausting president imaginable.
14
Can't wait for the next summit, which I suppose will be a whining session about how white Christian men are incredibly oppressed.
The idea of listening to the right wing fringe, that has already managed to weaponize social media as a Marshall stack for disinformation, complain that they're not be allowed to weaponize it *enough* makes me want to vomit.
29
Invite people to the WH who hate for a profession and a make a (pretty good) living doing so, and attract a mob of those who are riled by the truth and are furious at those who continue to espouse and support it. What could go wrong?
12
Outcome of this meeting likely to be about as worthwhile as that of trump’s commission on voter fraud.
17
Conservative want nothing more than to be in dominion over all of us. They want to dominate the narrative, dominate the “law” (more like lawlessness), and they want dominate religion. They want to take away your freedom and right to reject their loud and obnoxious and constant lying.
Ignore them. They are not interested in free and fair elections, or free speech; they are not interested in the rule of law. They are not interested in being moral or the truth. They only care about one thing—domination—and they will try to dominate by any means possible. They might even tank the economy like they did in 2008.
12
Wait—is this just for conservatives? Is this part of the Trump campaign? Isn’t this just another violation of the Hatch Act?
18
Let me understand this.
Our POTUS who has authored more fake facts in his administration than any other, who openly said he would welcome election info from Russia; is holding a summit regarding dishonesty and misinformation on social media?
Was that the punchline?
16
Punchline is Pelosi hands him 4.6 billion to fund it and attacks progressives for not supporting it.
1
I suppose that most republican senators and congressman will support this clown show that Trump is putting on.
The republican party reminds me more of a gang trying to keep control at any cost than a system that is supposed to work for the citizens. None of them deserve to get re-elected.
Just another way for Trump to tarnish the party and keep his stranglehold on the party. He is playing them well and they will all go down together.
10
There's a joke that in California that venture capitalists only fund white men because all their successes have come from white men. However, it is also true that all their failures have come from white men.
I feel like in social media, only conservatives are censored because it has become such a hot bed of rightwing bigotry that there aren't many non-conservatives left to censor.
6
Can we charge any expenses incurred by this meeting to Trump’s campaign?
After all, this is just a meeting of the Trump 2020 Campaign - Propaganda Division to plan strategies and tactics.
8
Another day of disgust. This administration, along with its enablers and supporters, are an absolute American scourge. The moral men and women of this country will never forget, nor forgive.
6
If you like this one and have never heard of it, I recommend googling the coronation of Sun Myung Moon. In a government building. With guys like John Boehner in attendance.
Why does the head Moonie matter here?
Moon founded the “Washington Times,” now well-circulated as a right-wing opinion outlet with occasional news thrown on top. He said he did it to further building a world-wide church, of which he would of course be the head.
1
Misinformation is the linchpin of the Trump's appeal. So this is little more than a coordinating conference. The Internet Research Agency will no doubt receive a more detailed description of what transpires than the American public will.
24
I understand that space considerations in a news article sometimes limit including the specific content that these conservatives say is being blocked. It would be helpful for such facts to be included to support the argument that what is being blocked is straight out hate speech and promotion of violence. At one time, just characterizing works as hate speech might have been enough. But today many Americans receive their news filtered through Fox News commentators and Trump tweets and have accepted that the mainstream media's conclusions are biased. Show them the facts.
7
I agree. We need specific details to counter them and block them when they cross the line.
1
The conservative-leaners complain about censorship, however, YouTube favors them in the twisted algorithm to keep eyes on screen. It’s all bizarre, but the only reason this group was invited was due to their support for Trump, not because of Trump’s concerns about free speech.
15
Everyone who's paying the slightest bit of attention knows that twitter (and other tech giants) discriminates against conservative voices. Jack Dorsey admitted that conservative employees at twitter don't feel comfortable sharing their views.
This is one of the few areas where Trump is right.
The root of the problem is that many people on the left consider fairly anodyne positions to fall into the category of hate speech.
Being against gay marriage was the norm until recently (Obama openly opposed gay marriage in his first term) but try being against gay marriage today and you may lose your job (e.g. Brendan Eich).
Lines like "Hate speech is hate speech, regardless of whether the person spewing it has met with the president" sound good, but they gloss over the difficult question of who decides what is hate speech and what isn't. Are we really going to outsource that decision to tech giants who operate with next to zero oversight?
3
@ted
Any conservative is free to make their own social media platform that is as un-censory as they like. When you sign up for google, twitter, facebook, or whatever, you agree to their Terms of Service. Full stop, end of story. By using the service you agree that they have the right to show or not show whatever they want, and if you don't like it you know where the door is.
Also, the idea that telling Conservatives that they have to actually tell the truth sometimes when they post online is equivalent to censoring conservative values is beyond hilarious. When did honesty and integrity cease to be values that Conservatives believe in? Was it Reagan, or does it go back further?
11
@ted Hate Speech has a definition. Abusive or threatening speech or writing that expresses prejudice against a group. There's no bias against conservatism. Those that feel uncomfortable expressing their views likely feel that way because their views are repugnant and would rather they echo in a safe chamber, rather than be shouted down for the hateful opinions that they are. Twitter and other social media outlets can do as they wish. It's their platform. Twitter is not a state-sponsored forum. It's a business with terms of service that are agreed to at the time of account creation.
6
At the risk of shocking you, yes, Obama pretty much lied about being against marriage equality—you know the radical theory of equal justice, protection, and rights under the law. Then he changed, and was instrumental in getting that fixed.
Subsequently, you guys and Trump have worked hard to go backwards, and reimpose a bigotry. And it is a bigotry, one dependant either on your religious views, or your silly hatred, or Teump’s complete cynicism and willingness to pander to you.
As for your defense of Eich, he didn’t get fired from a job. He resigned his posit as a CEO, partly because a lot of his Board members couldn’t stand him, and partly because of a public campaign against him due to his campaign contributions.
That’s perfectly legal. If no like, no be CEO, the public face of your company.
And darndest thing...on the occasions when I can watch FOX eithout vomiting, I frequently see clowns like Tucker Carlson demanding that this or that CEO, teacher, professor, civil servant, be fired because of their political views. Then they scream about repressive lefties.
Hypocrisy much?
8
The same people who want businesses to be able to discriminate based on gender, race, etc., don't want to be discriminated against based on what they say.
19
"We will not let them get away with it"? What's he planning to do, issue an executive order requiring the social media platforms to publish hate speech and praise the president?
And this would be different from North Korea how?
14
Great writing by Katie Rogers. We do live in interesting times. And so far as I know, trump and his followers dominate social media, so they should have no complaint. But trump's social media summit reflects the strategy of the Right of claiming that they are being unjustly attacked by discriminatory forces.
The comment from trump could be a proclamation right out of Orwell's oft-cited "1984":
“The Fake News is not as important, or as powerful, as Social Media.”
A classic Orwellian dictate is: "“But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”
Well, social media is the race to the bottom, and it's won. There is no room for dialog in social media. Even the more expansive posting space in Facebook isn't used for discussion. It's either Left or Right, right or wong, yes or no, black or white. Trump figured this out... a 72 year-old man dominating Xers, millennials and Zers on *their* medium.
And this trump conference will seek to continue and expand his dominance in social media: "The trump tweet is the truth."
I don't know how we fix any of this. It's really impossible to block social media. Democracies depend on having informed electorates. Trump is making sure that the U.S. electorate is informed *his* way on social media.
And then we can talk about Fox Noise.
10
@Charles “I don’t know how we fix any of this. It’s really impossible to block social media. Democracies depend on having informed electorates. Trump is making sure the U.S. electorate is informed “his” way on social media.”
Least your comment gets lost, I am repeating it.
Even if we disagree, every one of us requires factual information to make decisions.
Looking at the list of purveyors of fear, ignorance and hatred that Trump has lined up for his "summit" conjurs up images of the outlaw recruiting scene from "Blazing Saddles."
13
@Ken
Bull’s eye! Only trouble is, we can’t just laff these birds away.
2
Honestly, this is quite the farce! Trump, of all people, saying the "conservative" voice is being thwarted and censored. Has he listened to his "Friends" on Fox? The reason for this meeting is a smokescreen, no doubt. It's a strategy session for an unhindered and full-scale attack on Democrats leading up to the 2020 election. Beware!
10
This is surely a summit to coordinate his 2020 social media campaign.
10
Didn’t the Bush administration say something about “projecting the propaganda”? This sounds like a vehicle for coordinating that projection.
I wish the GOP liked democracy more as a governing system. They seem to hate it.
4
One purpose of this meeting could be to point out to Vladimir Putin the corps of fake news zealots so he can mount a new interference campaign in collaboration with Trump friends.
8
@Alfred Yul
I'm sure Putin already has a list of them.
1
All Media groups should be working on a lawsuit against the Government on this one. This is simply a platform for his propaganda approach for his campaigning for 2020 - it is biased, unconstitutional, and a whole lot of other wrongs. Are our Tax dollars now working for his capaign efforts? While representing the White House he spews misinformation that for some reason is seen as "just Trump" - or "he is known for his lies"..it is propaganda - it is undermining our constitutional rights. It is more than Trump being Trump. It is destruction.
10
When trump is indicted after all the damage is done. Strip him of his citizenship. He is the least of Americans.
16
There's nothing conservative about this.
11
Trump on Charlottesville:
Trump: "As I said on -- remember, Saturday -- we condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence. It has no place in America."
And to prove it, Trump invites the haters and bigots to the White House.
14
Wonderful... the U.S. Government under Trump is poised to endorse a particular definition of Conservative speech, which means identifying and suppressing Liberal speech, which arguably amounts to prior restraint. How is this any different from what North Korea, Russia, China Saudi Arabia, and a host of other despotic regimes do around the globe and have done throughout history? Is this really what Trump's base want--a White Power dictatorship led by multi-billionaires, where might makes right, and one's virtue is defined by the quantity of one's wealth achieved by any means necessary?
68
@J Young Yes. That's what they want.
9
It's what they think they want, anyway. Except for the part about rich folks truly running the show, about which they've very carefully not been informed.
10
@J Young So true, when I read the list of attendees, it was a Who's Who's of people who post incorrect and down right fake information! If he had had to have this forum for goodness sake, why not include all viewpoints???
3
I can’t even imagine what we’re going to have to do to the actual White House building once we get trump out of there. I don’t think sage is going to be strong enough.
109
Sweep it for electronic bugs.
8
@Sharon M
Top to bottom reno! Sell tickets to let us taxpayers start the demo!
2
@Sharon M Burn it to the ground and then rebuilt from scratch.
2
How can you have a fair and educational workshop to solve problems you think may be occurring with the tech giants when you don’t even invite representatives of the tech giants?
It would be like a leader surrounding themselves with advisors who only agree with his/her own viewpoint because the leader gets upset with any discords of opinion. How can anyone understand, comprehend and assimilate problems and design solutions when they are continually receiving input and feedback which is purposely designed to validate one perspective? This session sounds like a strategy to boost Trump with validations that his conspiracy theories are legitimate so that he can use these one sided opinions in new policies to attempt to punish the tech giants for enforcing their legal rules of use.
If this workshop was really about problem solving a real issue, then tech giants would be involved. So one has to ask the question: What is the purpose of this gathering of right wing conspiracy theorists? I suspect it is a way to give these people more ammo to take back and use to further sow discord with Trump’s base of voters.
I smell another EO followed by a whole new set of lawsuits that the taxpayer will subsidize.
16
Please, please stop calling them "conservative views"... they are 'radical views'. Just as 'populism' sounds acceptable, in fact it sounds downright 'popular'!, conservative sounds oh so very rational. These people and organizations are not that. Normalizing language for them only makes it even easier for it to be viewed as normal, acceptable, even downright patriotic - if their speech is allowed to be categorized as such.
Here's the litmus test... are their words AND actions helping the vast majority of people? Really helping them? Or is it blaming, victimizing, and seizing control for nefarious reasons?
90
@Brad G I agree with what your saying and would also add that Trump's followers are very similar to people who get caught up in cults. They believe deep in their heart of hearts that what they are led to believe is true and they are so brainwashed that they have an inability to empathize with different perspectives. They rationalize their hate with rhetoric from Fox, Hannity, Limbaugh, etc because they are too lazy or incapable of forming their own thoughts. The scary part is they have undying loyalty which means they could either drink the Kool Aid or serve it at the behest of their so called benevolent leader.
1
It has become utterly impossible to count on productive conversations across social media platforms. It's also astonishing that even though this hides under the facade of protecting First Amendment Rights, the underlying goal seems to be to silence someone else in the process. Many prominent "conservative voices", such as James O'Keefe, seek to undermine the integrity of "liberals and journalists," which is incredibly irresponsible and partisan and should not be protected or respected, and the same goes for any one who falls into the "liberals and journalists" categories. No matter what these individuals say, they are not America first because they are too busy promoting their party instead of promoting policy in collaboration with the people on the other side to actually better the United State of America. Summits like this are just a playground for people who make it their daily work to troll social media and bash those with opposing views. If these individuals feels so discriminated against and oppressed, then maybe they should look at their own practices. The people attending this summit are entitled to hate, not scorned by it.
11
Trump campaign needs the help from right-wing fringe figures to use rumors, conspiracy and extremism to rally support form his base
It is all about getting Trump re-elected
with votes from marginal characters
36
Probably no reader of this article or more certainly, a follower of the New York Times, gleans anything whatsoever from 'social media' that shapes their political beliefs.
The reason it comes to our attention was originally, a mere curiosity, like being somewhat apprised as to what new game our children are playing.
Then to our shock and utter horror, it came to be that certain segments of our society were relying on these juvenile slogan purveyors for 'The real truth' , and, armed with make-believe information started to elect demagogues.
Now that the situation has evolved well beyond 'out of hand', I suppose the loathsome truth is that we are all destined to spend years beginning our political discourse by stating that ,"No, Trump is not the equal of Lincoln , and therefore not the best president we have ever had ..." .
23
And what about the "dishonesty, bias, discrimination and suppression" practiced by a certain Mr. Trump and the GOP? Please discuss.
17
Who paid for this meeting? It if was paid for by federal funds then that is illegal, and Trump should be taken to court.
65
@Jason This sounds to me like it is clearly a meeting designed to help Trump's campaign - aka a Hatch Act violation.
6
This is more than a meeting. I am sure they are developing a systematic method of disseminating as much misinformation, fake news, and propaganda as they can to push their hateful agenda. This is very concerning.
62
@N
I also read the Washington Post and its comments forums are a lot more numerous and wide open than the Times. I detect groups of right wing commenters who post duplicate messages ... not individually crafted comments as made by the left leaning commenters. There is definitely a coordinated effort on the right and it is probably extremely well funded.
11
And you can bet that Parscale will be chairing the meeting himself.
2
Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are. Never was that phrase more accurate. Since the days of Roy Cohen, Trump has surrounded himself with some of the most sleazy people imaginable. Since becoming President, he has expanded this trait by showing love and admiration to some of the biggest international rogues on the world stage; Putin and the leaders of North Korea and Saudi Arabia. Let's face it Trump admires and befriends people who are of the lowest character. He loves doing business with them because they share his world view.
We can only expect things to get worse nearing the end of his first term. And as Trump's approval ratings rise and the Democrats continue to squabble, a possible Trump second term will throw the White House door open to widespread graft and corruption.
23
It's the first party conference. All out in the open.
12
Democracy thrives on a marketplace of ideas---in Trump's world---no marketplace and no ideas.
16
This is trump's attempt to change our Democracy into a Dictatorship.
23
@Never Ever Again
I think that started with his election.
3
...are US funds being used to pay for this political event?
23
They can meet, plot with and advance the profiles of white supremacists, misogynists, Islamophobic, racists but we have to distance ourselves from Bernie and AOC if we want to capture the middle. This isn't a false equivalency, it's a false reality.
16
Aren’t these the guys attacking progressives who use facts against them?
Three cheers for the Idiocracy. Trump shouldn’t be allowed to waste our taxpayer dollars on this self-serving extravagance.
15
It’s all about organizing the media. Trump may be good at this, but more heads are better than one.
2
And yet Trump and the GOP complain that the Democrats do nothing to get something of importance through Congress.
4
We have achieved Orwellian and Black Mirror levels of dystopic governance.
13
Just call this what it is: The Social Summit of Racists
Malcontents and Conspiracy Theorists.
Not only does Donald Trump willingly refuse to represent all of "We The People" he doesn't feign his disdain for businesses and systems to do not cotton to his vision of the world:
An inaugural theme of "American Carnage" played out every day online by visionaries of Deep State malfeasance and fear mongering and exclusion...Trump's Summit should be a success for those invitees:
Sounds like an effort to craft a cheesy Campaign rally housed under a tax-payer financed White House-led tent.
14
These people want validation, a sign they are a part of this society, that their behavior should be considered a norm in public life.
Deny them.
People like O'Keefe should be shunned for they offer nothing to society but hate, lies and distrust. They offer nothing foundational, they destroy. They are outliers, noxious weeds in the garden of life.
36
I hope I live to see the day an adult takes away his phone. Would it be too much to wish for someone to slap it out of his hand?
17
@ZenShkspr I hope I live to see the day the warden takes away his phone.
3
This administration has so thoroughly and rigorously abandoned the pretense of serving the entire nation.
31
@Ted Walker
There was a pretense? I must have missed that.
Why don’t they (these “censored” conservatives) start their own social media platforms? If they don’t like Big Tech’s algorithms, let them write their own. I’m sure it would be a YUGE success.
11
The only way to fight back against this hateful administration is vote them out of office.
Period.
21
Most disturbing to me is the inability of rational, mature Republicans to present any counterbalance. Conservatives in government and business are not the same seething, vitriolic Tweeters. Are their voices being drowned out, or are they in hiding?
12
@JR80304 You mention "rational, mature Republicans" I love your use of irony.
1
This is a summit?
I thought a summit was a meeting of the minds to cure some social ill.
This hardly qualifies.
Will Melanie be there to chime in on “ be best”
13
technology should have stopped at the flip phone.....
4
This should disturb anyone who cherishes our country's constitution. This admin is building a propaganda machine with ambitions to smash down dissent.
13
You see! Trump has his social media thugs and he invites them and embraces them. He doesn't know to get down in the mud and fight but he knows it needs to be done and so he invites the bottom feeders in and lets them do the fighting for him and his wealthy friends. Along the way some of these trolls who do Trump's bidding will also reap some financial rewards while stirring up the pot and keeping the rabid sycophants showing up to rallies and town halls. Republicans know how to fight dirty and they know that social media is where it all starts. "Russia, if you're listening".
4
Troll Summit, 2019.
Hopefully it will be the last, but I'm doubtful.
5
"President Trump.....wants to protect their First Amendment rights.”
How about the rest of us? His continued attacks on the media, claiming fake news is an affront to the very foundation of our Democracy. Without them, people like Jeffery Epstein would not be brought to justice (Thank you Miami Herald).
No President Trump, you are not protecting the First Amendment Rights of all the people. In fact you are doing all in your power to marginalize those precious Rights.
6
So the president of the United States, finds time in his busy schedule between golf, executive time, insulting our allies/ambassadors, kissing up to dictators, putting kids in cages, wreaking trade havoc and generally creating pandemonium to tweet to the world that he's "great looking and smart".
And, feel the need to call in some of his most ardent and equally deluded worshippers to protect him from mean people who have the nerve to remark on our little emperor's grotesque nudity.
I don't think even George Orwell saw this coming. Can we just say it? The man is insane and getting worse every day. How we're going to survive this intact, god only knows.
36
I’d say take a good look at the “free speech,” these clowns are exercising, and ask exactly what it is.
Are we talking disagreement, pointing out mistakes, presenting facts?
Or are we talking ugly personal attacks, threats, lies and vicious bigotries?
One, you have a right to. One you don’t.
Unfortunately, a politician probably does have to put up with a lot of the idiocies from, say, O’Keefe. And equally unfortunately, the isiocies of those dumb enough and gullible enough to believe him. Goes with the territory.
4
Trump is a stooge, a puppet whose strings are controlled by Stephen Miller and other anarchists. The invitees are bomb throwers whose only goal is to disrupt. They are driven by hate and fear. It's as though we are watching a dystopian Bergman movie. This kind of behavior lead to the atrocities of the first half of the 20th century. Are we on that path again?
I call upon the news media to shine a bright light on all of this. Quit giving trump the twitter megaphone. You treat his tactics and those of his administration as though they are normal.
11
I seem to remember that among the first invitees to the White House after Trump was elected were Sarah Palin and Ted Nugent. I believe Ted Nugent used filthy vulgarities to refer to Hillary Clinton and actually referred publicly to President Obama as a “mongrel.”
Nothing’s really changed with this horrible man in the White House. Trump and his acolytes are not fit to be in the same room as President Obama or Hillary Clinton. These fringe, despicable hate-mongers he will be hosting are more his speed.
12
Simply search “Ted Nugent” and “pedophile”. It’s all there.
America is dying before our eyes.
Someone has to stand up to Trump.
30
When D.W. Griffith was criticized for his racist & insane re-imagining of history in "Birth of a Nation", he responded by whining that his critics were the real bigots and he was the real victim. One century later, nothing has changed; the bigots are still crying "Victim!" while ranting about killing off pretty much everyone else.
6
Funny how Trump is concerned for "their First Amendment rights" but when anyone is critical of Trump and backs their criticisms with facts, Trump calls it "fake news." He even tried to block Twitter users that criticize him. He is thin-skinned and he is a liar.
13
Worse he calls them enemies if the state.
As if we needed any more proof of this administration’s consistently pathetic consciousness of victimhood. If Obama had held this kind of meeting to commiserate about perceived mistreatment of him and his causes on social media, the right would have blasted him as a weak, ineffective leader wasting taxpayer dollars on nonsense.
8
a noxious gathering of noxious divisive individuals who are what is WRONG with our country.. no surprise that trump wanted this meeting.. trump is our BIGGEST noxious source of vile in our country
9
I'm actually looking forward to this. An event this public will be a wonderful opportunity to dox these anonymous parasites of the internet and find out who they really are.
6
The guest list certainly shouldn't overlook Alex Jones or Richard Spencer, nor any members of neo-Nazi parties who have been "marginalized" on social media. Perhaps "Q" will attend the summit too, and enlighten us as to the nefarious Deep State conspiracies against President Trump and his administration. And while Mr. Trump is at it, he should definitely invite employees of Russia's "Internet Research Agency." They've worked so hard to come up with stories supporting Mr. Trump, only to have their accounts and posts too often deleted by Twitter and Facebook.
Let's make sure the far-right fringe and conspiracy theorists are given high-profile time in the White House, while tech leaders and scholars on technology are called "fake." All points of view are equal and equally well-informed, right?
4
His campaign manager is attending; how blatant is this?! Why not invite the Russian bots for knowledge transfer and training? Our tax dollars are paying for this hate campaign event.
Then he will issue an Executive Order in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the citizenship question on the census. A banner day for this lawless President.
12
" A big subject today at the White House Social Media Summit will be the tremendous dishonesty, bias, discrimination and suppression practiced by certain companies. We will not let them get away with it much longer. The Fake News Media will also be there, but for a limited period.."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 11, 2019
"Tremendous dishonesty" is Mr. Trump's middle name.
Tell me, Mr. Trump, what does it mean "we will not let them get away with it..."?
An executive order to shut down Twitter? Where would you be then?
The article does not mention the Heritage Foundation will be at the meeting also.
By the way, boycott Home Depot.
4
Wondering if this will be simulcast in Saint Petersburg to coordinate with the Russian trolls (see GRU) for their upcoming Trump 2020 hate campaign. Patriotic Americans, the check engine light is flashing red again!
13
Keep your enemies close, but keep your friends closer. After the get together it will take weeks to fumigate the White House to remove the stink from this gathering of sycophants and self serving fools. I pity the White House services providers, they’ll need to look where they step for weeks to avoid the droppings.
4
His campaign manager is attending!!! How blatant is this? Why not invite the Russian bots for knowledge transfer and training. Our tax dollars are paying for this hate campaign event.
Then he will issue an Executive Order in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the citizenship question on the census. A banner day for this lawless President.
5
President Trump needs to raise the profile of these social media trump warriors because they help him spread the Birther style disinformation stories that any reputable journalists won't touch. That is why Trump world has constantly "accidentely" retweeted stories from neo nazi and neo fascist websites. Donald Trump Jr. just retweeted a Birther redux campaign against Kamela Harris. The truth about Hannity giving attention to the Russian led myth about the Hill murder is a classic example. The Russian government creates the lies that the Clinton campaign killed Hill in retaliation for leaking the DNC emails. A complete lie but no matter. Bannon tries to pump it up, these social media sites spread it nation wide, Hannity picks it up and promotes it even further. The fact that it a complete fabrication is beside the point. Trump needs these myths and lies to win in 2020 and he needs the Russians and these social media platforms to spread his tall tales to the American public.
4
Isn't it illegal for the president to host campaign events in the White House?
11
The Trump Ministry of Propaganda aka Fox News and the Trump Minister of Propaganda aka Sean Hannity should have hosted this meeting on their turf.
Or it should have been held at Mar-a-Lago or Bedminster or Trump Tower Chicago.
Having failed to disclose and divest his personal assets into a blind trust you can't tell where Trump Mar-a-Lago ends and Trump White House begins.
The White House is public housing that belongs to the American people. It is not an appropriate venue for a Leni Riefenstahl style ' Triumph of the Will' Nuremberg rally.
A more appropriate venue would have been the Kremlin in Moscow with smiling and smirking Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin as the host along with Russian military intelligence aka GRU.
No collusion! MAGA!
3
All these traitors are in the service of Putin's plan to destroy the USA as payback for the loss of his beloved USSR. Some are compensated, some are compromised, and some are just useful idiots.
3
This makes me want to get a Twitter account so that I can be part of the "tremendous dishonesty" perpetrated against the Insulter-In-Chief.
Mr. Trump and his ilk make a person want to spit up.
3
Of course, this 'meeting of the mindless' was bound to follow the previous meetups, at the White House, of the Evangelical bible humpers who venerate Trump and Pence.
Perhaps, a follow up may well feature all the 'wonderful folks' representative of the White Supremists and Racists who marched at Charlottesville.
1
Unbelievable. How can you even reply to this.
2
This is almost as bad as White southerners compaining that they're being economically discriminated against because they're not allowed to subjugate Black people anymore.
Boo hoo, it's sooooo horrible to be banned on Twitter; it's just as bad as being fired from your job or being kicked out of renting an apartment for being gay.
Disgusting!
1
Birds of a feather flock together-- the racist, the hateful, and the evil are perfectly comfortable in the WH because the entire Trump administration and the GOP share their repulsive "values" and beliefs.
219
@Raul Campos:
What is there to agree with about PizzaGate? Sandy Hook hoaxers? Deep State paranoia?
Do tell.
7
@Raul Campos Would you tell Trump the same thing?
3
So, Mr. Parscale, was this a state/public event or a campaign event? I'm not super familiar with federal campaign and ethics laws, but aren't there restrictions on using public resources (for example, a Presidential summit) for campaign purposes? It seems like you guys are trying to get these "conservative voices" to do for you what Facebook, Google, and Twitter did last cycle under the guise of "First Amendment rights."
96
Exactly what I was thinking.
5
'bringing together people who disseminate threats and hate speech ..."
this is also a description of any Trump administration cabinet meeting.
121
This is a Twitter problem. The company’s single-minded to ursuit if wealth makes them the vehicle of choice for a Fascist assault. Thanks, Jack Dorsey, for giving Trump a free pass to break all your rules about hate speech.
30
A meeting of the most wretched. How reassuring.
120
First of all, Trump is not great looking and smart-That is his fantasy.We should all be concerned about this gathering of Trump Trolls because he is obviously setting the stage for a media battle which he hopes to win so he can be re-elected.He cannot expand his base so he will try to multiply and amplify the voices who will support him.They in turn will persuade his base to stick by him and help him win the electoral college.In a fascist state you demean and discredit the free press and encourage the fringe, conspiratorial media.Why are people not more up in arms about this assault on our Democracy?!
142
@JANET MICHAEL
Freedom of speech means I'm allowed to spew whatever hatred and racial bias I can via whatever media outlets that I can. And that's a terrifying spectacle since so many Trump supporters are not decent types.
2
You had me at “Trump is not great looking and smart...”
5
@JANET MICHAEL: Of course he isn't either of those things. But even if he were, what kind of man goes around saying that about himself in public, to millions of Twitter followers? That unbridled arrogance and vanity, along with his utter lack of self-knowledge, should by themselves have disqualified him from the job, and should have prevented him ever being elected. After all, these character flaws were crystal clear to all of us from very early in the campaign.
Not to mention his ignorance of the basic facts of history, culture and the international political order, and his refusal to learn anything new on the job.
6
Trump is gathering his disinformation trolls to give them marching and communication orders in person so they can parrot his talking points and amp his rhetoric.
56
When I started reading this article I thought all the lying and fraudulent news was about Trump and company. Of course it was really about his attacks on the major media organizations, Fox News excepted of course. His Social Media Summit is really only a campaign rally for his Twit supporters.
33
The 1960’s saw pranksters, artists and musicians apply their humor and creativity to help end a war and take down a president. Unlike this rogue’s gallery, they did it without resorting to lies, hate, hectoring, fraud and fear. That this group gathers in the White House under the guess of freedom is revolting. Pigasus 2020.
27
This isn't a gathering meant to highlight the divide between right-wing and left-wing. It's a battle between elected governments and international corporations.
Old wine. New skins.
4
The world, as Richard Haas aptly puts it, is in disarray. At times today reminds me of the 1930s BUT we do not have FDR to navigate us through the turbulence; we are stuck with Donald J Trump.
16
I forgot to confirm that the Russian media agents will probably be there as well as his supporters.
34
@Joe McGuire they will be face timing with them or using "go to Meeting."
“it’s important for President Trump to emphasize that he appreciates their support and wants to protect their First Amendment rights.”
Do these people think that the government can prevent companies from banning users from using their platforms? As private enterprises, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have no obligation to protect their First Amendment rights. It's a free market. The Alt-Right can form their own platforms if they'd like.
Oh wait... they've tried with Gab, Voat and others... It's almost as if ineptitude follows these people like a shadow.
322
Besides, the loser has exactly NO reason to attack YouTwitFace, which have coddled far-wrong trolls while imposing bans and Real Name harassment on non-trolls for far too long.
The loser and anti-"conservatives" like him have it good on the marketing sites. Non-crazy people should take note and spend their precious time elsewhere.
9
@Kevin
The "first amendment" applies to speech about the government. It has nothing to do with speech about anyone or anything on any platform.
Trump, you are NOT the government. You're a Temporary illusion.
22
@Kevin Agreed. No wedding cake for some? No platform for others. That's equality, baby.
26
We have a President whose tests the boundaries of adhering to democratic principles on a daily basis. He goes a little farther every time he speaks and acts publicly. It’s a serious matter and he could not indulge in these orgies of deceit and self aggrandizement without the backing of the most cynical group of politicians in our history. Other countries have seen their freedoms erode in this way. We are at a point where we have dominance by a despotic minded chief executive with the support and backing of his party.
They have made the victory in the House by Democrats seem immaterial. Calls for impeachment continue, I simply don’t believe it will harm Democrats chances in upcoming elections, as it is they appear to be moribund by their infighting and inaction.
I really hope that’s not the case.
148
@MG Trump doesn't test the boundaries of Democratic principles. He trampled on them, kicked them, spit on them, and walked right over them on his very first day in office.
10
By treating the complaints of a small number of like-minded people as evidence that their views are being suppressed on social media, the President is confusing anecdote with data. Why hasn't he instead published counts of how many people reported such suppression on the website they "unveiled" in May? And why haven't they published an analysis of the range of views that have been suppressed in reports on that website? These questions ignore entirely the bias in who is likely to report suppression of their views on that website.
16
Donald Trump is President of the United States, and the king of insanity. To think, this guy is the commander in chief to what is likely the world’s most powerful military force.
35
@Matthew Girar He is the president of the
DIVIDED States/Citizens of America...someting he and Hannity have created and espouse
5
When will this nightmarish, Jack Dempsey, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai enabled dystopia end?
22
@A California Pelosi Girl Maybe when your 'namesake' will allow impeachment hearings?
1
@SB
The investigations are precursor for impeachment. Be patient. I know it's not easy. I want Trump out more than anyone, but it takes time and patience.
Trump-Pence are organizing their re-election campaign committee with this 'media summit' .
82
@Jim
FALA: Fake America with Lies Again......
Its a shame so many people are too ignorant to seek facts - they prefer to believe the insanity these people promote.
5
Scar and the hyenas have taken over Pride Rock.
28
This is disturbing at the least. These kinds of events bringing together media outlets that praises the SUPREME leader usually take place in banana republics ONLY. But then again, 50 years down the road people will look back at these times and realize that the turning of these good ole US of A into an actual banana republic started with the elections of 2016.
48
Trump is an issue. But just as awful is the apparent fact that, for most of his supporters, there us no bottom. The lies, the subverting of the of law, the lack of fundamental decency, the alienation of our allies. They find none of this alarming. And the "they" in this case is not just the fearful and the under-educated. It includes plutocrats, GOP senators, and millions w ho should know better.
400
And let there be no doubt, as long as accredited media refuses to call this fearless leader’s false claims for the lies they are, we give more opportunity for distortion and racism to thrive. It is past time for the NYT to reclaim the leadership that comes with boldly stating trump’s lies. Call him the liar that he is.
52
@arp I have come to the conclusion that the bond between Trump and his voters is not based on rationale assessment of his actions. I think it is mostly emotional. He makes it feel ok for them to be openly racist and prejudiced. He shares their grievances and supplies many suggestions for scapegoats they can blame for any disappointments in life. They don't seem to see that he could and would turn on them if he thought it could be beneficial for him.
10
@Bonnie Of course it’s emotional. And delusional. Read “Post-Truth”.
1
Be clear: this meeting is about how to bring their "voices" to the forefront and suppress dissenting voices. They have already gerrymandered voting districts and stacked the Supreme Court, which has supported political gerrymandering. Why do they feel persecuted or even sidelined? Social media isn't "banning conservative voices, or supporters of the president." The people who consume social media don't want to hear them.
74
Anyone interested in an approximation of this meeting should watch the HBO film “Conspiracy.”
19
if the prez and his people don't like the way these social media treat them, then why don't they just use another platform that is friendly to their views? it's the capitalist way, isn't it?
53
@Phil
It's just that not very many people actually read 4Chan and The Daily Stormer these days, so it's tough to spread your lies on those platforms.
A federal district court recently ruled that President Trump cannot block persons from posting opposing views on his Tweeter account. Conservatives can use the ruling to post their views on social media platform used by liberal senators, representatives and other office holders.
The Washington Post reported yesterday that “Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is facing two federal lawsuits for blocking Twitter users who were critical of her or her policies.” These lawsuits were filed by Republican political candidates, but White Nationalist presumedly could promote their views on AOC’s Tweeter account. A lot of politicians are going to be forced to abandon interactive social media unless they are willing to to allow their accounts to be platforms for opposing views.
9
We’re not talking opposing views, and we’re not talking criticism.
We’re talking racist diatribes, flagrant nonsense, and personal threats.
8
But why stay on the "social media" (treasonous marketing) sites when the sites are so wedded to the bigoted babble of "newsworthy" creeps and tyrants? Better for good people like said AOC to run in the other direction and speak to people in other ways—like say, face-to-face—and block Twitter like any other ad.
Starve the bird-beast.
@William Case
Once again William, that is factually incorrect. Critics cannot be blocked from a twitter feed, but just as a white nationalist can legally be prevented from using a public forum to promote hate speech, that person can be blocked on Twitter and even have their account deactivated by the site. It is in the terms and conditions you agree to when signing up. Hate speech is not allowed.
You once again completely miss the point of this story in order to peddle Trump propaganda. This is a meeting of people who actually promote fake news (for example, questioning if Kamala Harris's racial background, good grief) whining about how real news outlets don't take them seriously. The President of the United States is giving actual fake news a forum in the White House. If you are a true American patriot, this should concern you.
4
The Trump White House defends the Freedom to Hate.
Not Freedom from fear, Freedom from hunger, Freedom from discrimination, Freedom to live in peace.
The Freedom to Hate, not just in your heart, but openly in the public square.
Those who voted for Trump, and support him still, should take note: the Freedom to Hate tears down and destroys. It does not build up and renew. Trump is hiding nothing.
To choose Trump is to choose Hate, it is that simple.
441
It’s not really the open public square we are talking about.
These people want to be able to express their hateful views on someone else’s forum.
They want to force someone else to pay to disseminate their repugnant content.
28
@Paul McGlasson
Soon the WH will be offering a daily broadcast of Two Minutes Hate, ala 1984.
20
@Winston Smith
The current occupant pretty well does that now. Almost every day in the early morning hours a blast of hate goes out over twitter.
Generally lasts longer than 2 minutes though.
15
Priceless considering that Trump blocks critics on his Twitter account and tries to shame and name calls opponents. This sounds like a campaign strategy.to further his reach. His cries of Fake News surely include Fox News. The recent calls by Fox to “lock up your meat” implies they believe the public to be gullible and dim witted. Dangerous times!
48
Among many other problems, the most fundamental is that most of these people are not conservative. Regressive, ethnonationalist, Trump acolyte...there are many accurate terms for what their speech shows about their worldview, but not conservative. I’d fall out of my chair if any of them had read Reflections on the Revolution in France or wrestled with any of the serious questions that form the heart of the real conservative’s mind.
It is way past time for our media to stop calling Trump supporters conservative: some are, yes, but it is not nearly the most accurate descriptor for the political consensus he’s convened. Personally I’d like to see his entire movement described as “ethnopopulists”, which is not necessarily pejorative, per se, and is in fact the most accurate description of what binds them.
441
Conservatism has been nothing but a mean spirited sham of stealing from the poor to give to the rich for decades, cloaked in a fabricated veneer of patriotism with a deep undercurrent of racism. These people are Conservatism personified. They are Conservatives, they are Republicans, they are evangelicals. And yes, they are hideous.
208
@R Smith
This is a pig and no amount of lipstick changes that.
There is intellectual conservatism and opportunism, invoking but absent any embrace of or sincerity concerning intellectual conservatisms foundational principles. As you say: you'd fall out of your chair.
And what's wrong with Deplorables. Not putting a biohazard warning on something toxic is irresponsible. Euphemisms don't warn properly.
24
@R Smith No, they represent conservatism very well, as the malleable, amoral intellectual failure that it is.
38
All of the Ultra-Right Wingers are meeting in Washington DC at the White House.
Wouldn't it be more appropriate, if they were all meeting at Nuremberg?
168
The Gutter Has Come To Power!
67
@Counter Measures
Actually, CM "The Disguised Global Crony Capitalist Empire Has Come To Power!"
1