US President Joe Biden says social media companies exploit children, asks lawmakers to limit data use
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged US lawmakers to limit how social media companies engage children and collect their data, as he accused Big Tech of conducting a test. “for profit” for the nation’s youth.
“Ultimately, we must hold social media companies accountable for the testing they are conducting on our children for profit,” Biden said in his State of the Union Address before the session. General Assembly.
“And it’s time to pass bipartisan legislation to stop big technology from collecting the personal data of children and young people online, banning ads that target children, and imposing stricter limits on the personal data that companies collect on all of us.”
Biden’s remarks, which drew standing ovations from members of both parties, were his latest shot into Big Tech’s bow.
The US president, highlighting the risks social media poses to Americans, last month urged his Republicans and Democrats to overcome years of political deadlock and pass legislation aimed at curbing power of US-based tech giants Apple, Google, Amazon And Facebook-the owner meta.
Biden has repeatedly advocated for greater protection of people’s online privacy and their personal data.
The United States has gone behind governments in Europe and Asia in crafting more modern rules to limit the power of the biggest tech companies.
In a January editorial in the Wall Street Journal, Biden said a law could give the administration access to the algorithms that power the social network and that lawmakers should rethink it. about applicable law that removes technology companies’ liability for the content on their websites.
There is bipartisan support to reform that age-old provision, known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, but disagreement among political parties over how to proceed.
Such an antitrust law is seen as a big step forward, with Republicans – who last month took control of the House after elections in November – reluctant to thwart big business.
Big Tech companies have lobbied vigorously in recent years to combat any impetus for legislation in Washington.
