Trump campaign: Snapchat 'trying to rig' 2020 election
'We will not amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice,' Snap Inc. said
Social media is becoming a concern for organizing riot violence as the argument around censorship continues. FOX Business' Susan Li with more.
The Trump campaign on Wednesday accused Snapchat of "trying to rig" the 2020 election after the popular social media app said it would no longer promote President Trump's account on the platform in light of his controversial tweet about rioters in the wake of the George Floyd protests.
“Snapchat is trying to rig the 2020 election, illegally, using their corporate funding to promote Joe Biden and suppress President Trump," Trump 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale wrote in a statement.
The president's public and verified account previously appeared on Snapchat's "Discover" page, which promotes Snapchat videos and photos from news outlets, celebrities and everyday users who post videos that are related to trending topics.
A Snapchat sign hangs on the facade of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, Jan. 23, 2017. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
"We are not currently promoting the president’s content on Snapchat’s Discover platform," a company spokesperson told FOX Business. "We will not amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice by giving them free promotion on Discover. Racial violence and injustice have no place in our society and we stand together with all who seek peace, love, equality, and justice in America."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNAP | SNAP INC. | 12.12 | -0.41 | -3.27% |
The decision was made over the weekend, the spokesperson said. It comes amid discussion regarding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which offers liability protections to social media platforms that choose to moderate content from their users.
The law came into the spotlight after Twitter decided to hide a May 29 Trump tweet that warned, "When the looting starts, the shooting starts" — in reference to rioters looting businesses in the wake of George Floyd's death — for violating its rules against "glorifying violence." Trump accused Twitter of trying to silence conservatives and threatened to revoke the law.
The Trump tweet that was flagged by Twitter. (FOX Business)
Facebook, however, decided not to remove the same post; the company's founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has been unwavering in his belief that Facebook should promote the free speech of both average users and politicians on the platform.
Snap is the latest social media company to join the discussion, and some angry social media users are already calling on others to delete the app.
The spokesperson said it is Spanchat's responsibility to curate content for users that the company believes will enhance their experience on the platform, adding that the "Discover" feature was designed specifically for Snapchat to make those curation choices, and Snapchat will never be a place where anyone can speak publicly to all Snapchat users.