A Democrat bill has been introduced to the Senate that seeks to establish a new federal agency tasked with policing the American people’s speech to crack down on so-called “misinformation.”
If passed by Congress, the Senate bill would create a federal agency to target “hate speech” and fine citizens who fail to comply.
The bill was introduced to the Senate by Democrat Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO).
The legislation is titled the Digital Platform Commission Act (DPCA).
Bennet claims his proposed bill would “create an expert federal body empowered to provide comprehensive, sector-specific regulation of digital platforms to protect consumers, promote competition, and defend the public interest.”
In a statement about the bill, Bennet said:
The new Federal Digital Platform Commission would have the mandate, jurisdiction, and broad set of tools to develop and enforce thoughtful guardrails for a sector that has been left for too long to write its own rules, with serious consequences for everything from teen mental health to disinformation to anti-competitve practices that have hurt small businesses.
It’s past time for a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to regulating digital platforms that have amassed extraordinary power over our economy, society, and democracy.
We should follow the long precedent in American history of empowering an expert body to protect the public interest through common sense rules and oversight for complex and powerful sectors of the economy.
The Commission would have the authority to promulgate rules, impose civil penalties, hold hearings, conduct investigations, and support research.
It could also designate ‘systemically important digital platforms’ subject to additional oversight, regulation, and merger review.”
The legislation says that the new government body, known as the Federal Digital Platform Commission, would have five commissioners appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
The new agency would be “staffed by experts with a background in areas such as computer science, software development, and technology policy.”
Essentially, President Joe Biden would be appointing the censorship commissioners with the Democrat-controlled Senate likely sending them through.
Bennet’s bill also gives the commission the authority to render civil penalties:
To fulfill its mandate, the Commission would have the authority to promulgate rules, impose civil penalties, hold hearings, conduct investigations, and support research.
Under such authority, the agency would have the power to fine American citizens for questioning the official narrative regarding vaccine safety or fraudulent elections.
In a post on Twitter, Reclaim the Net astutely notes that the commission would be establishing behavioral codes and include radical “disinformation” experts.
🚨 A new bill wants to empower a new federal agency to create a council that establishes "enforceable behavioral codes" on social media platforms and AI. The council will include "disinformation" experts. pic.twitter.com/m9MdSl9kda
— Reclaim The Net (@ReclaimTheNetHQ) May 18, 2023
Conservative attorney Harriet Dhillion sums the bill up succinctly
“This is unconstitutional, also evil and stupid,” she warned.
This is unconstitutional, also evil and stupid. https://t.co/zmaEvMLbvL
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) May 19, 2023
Conservative activist Laura Loomer likened the agency to the “Ministry of Truth” – the government propaganda and censorship department in George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984.”
“Ministry of Truth”?
We live in hell. Everyday this country gets worse and worse. https://t.co/EBT7SZ1J1K
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) May 19, 2023
