Anti-Abortion Groups Push Unhinged, Conspiracy Content & Violent Imagery on Social Media
Today’s Senate Judiciary hearing should examine the real reason for their claims
04.10.19 – Senator Ted Cruz is scheduled to hold a sham hearing this afternoon on supposed censorship of conservatives on social media, a claim experts say there is “zero evidence” to support.
“Groups testifying at today’s hearing are sure to make unsubstantiated claims that technology companies are violating their first amendment rights. But the truth is that they have posted graphic, extremist imagery and content from unhinged conspiracy groups that promote violence,” said Mary Alice Carter, Executive Director of Equity Forward.
“It is well known that bodily threats and abusive behavior can result in suspensions from social media, and these groups have posted content that warrants such consequences. Instead of holding a hearing on an actual issue, Cruz is using his powerful position to elevate the views of extremists and conspiracy theorists whose conduct harms people.”
Specifically, Cruz will look at Twitter’s temporary ban of the account for Unplanned, the extremist biopic about anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson, as an example of conservative censorship. In reality, the Unplanned account was banned because the user administering it had been previously banned on another account. But after the ban was reversed, the Unplanned account tweeted slogans from QAnon, the deranged conspiracy theory that has been linked to acts of violence and attempted terrorism. The account administrator has refused to speak about the tweets.
Additionally, Marilyn Musgrave, Vice President of Government Affairs at anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), will likely be testifying that her organization’s graphic imagery get blocked. In reality, the images are banned for good reason: SBA List posts can be too graphic, and fall under the same level of censorship scrutiny as other violent imagery.
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