CHENNAI: The White House has reportedly circulated the draft of a proposed executive order aimed at tackling anti-conservative bias at top social media companies, a senior official told Politico on condition of anonymity. The content of the draft, however, was not disclosed.
 
The proposed order has raised fears that the administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to clamp down on tech giants.

“If the internet is going to be presented as this egalitarian platform and most of Twitter is liberal cesspools of venom, then at least the president wants some fairness in the system,” the official said.

“But look, we also think that social media plays a vital role. They have a vital role and an increasing responsibility to the culture that has helped make them so profitable and so prominent.”

Tech giants, particularly Google and Facebook, have been accused of suppressing contents reflecting or supporting conservative viewpoints. The companies, however, have denied any bias.

The report comes weeks after a former Google executive revealed that the firm is “hell-bent” on ensuring that someone like Trump will not come to power again.

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However, experts say there is little that the White House can do to regulate online content without Congressional authorisation.

“There’s very little in terms of direct regulation the federal government can do without congressional action, and frankly I think that’s a positive thing,” a former administration official told Politico.

“Although the government may be able to support and assist online platforms’ efforts to reduce hate and violence online, the government should not try to impose speech regulations on private platforms,” he added.