As Twitchy reported, former President Barack Obama on Friday held an off-the-record speaking event at MIT that forbid attendees from recording, photographing, tweeting, or reporting on the event if they were to be granted a seat in the audience.
Exclusive: Five things Obama said in his weirdly off-the-record MIT speech https://t.co/Opuzn5ZwGX
— reason (@reason) February 26, 2018
Reason obtained an audio recording of the speech, though, and noted that one of Obama’s main points was that social media companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook “have to have a conversation about their business model that recognizes they are a public good as well as a commercial enterprise.”
Obama says Google, Facebook, Twitter "have to have a conversation about their business model that recognizes they are a public good as well as a commercial enterprise. They're not just an invisible platform, they're shaping our culture in powerful ways." https://t.co/KtqjmYQ0J7
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 27, 2018
No. We don’t. https://t.co/apk8nWCxQN
— J.R. Holmsted (@JHolmsted) February 28, 2018
Insightful quote by Obama.
If only he ever was in a position to actually enact policy to affect this. https://t.co/2r9XddvUPL— koumdros (@koumdros) February 27, 2018
Of course, we know that it means when a liberal like Barack Obama says we need to “have a conversation.”
In other words-do as I tell you and only produce what I want you to. https://t.co/Bfot7oEARz
— Michele Schiesser (@MicheleSchiesse) February 27, 2018
Recommended
https://twitter.com/inkana/status/968514624726405120
As soon as I hear the phrase “have a conversation” I tune out. Thank goodness that man is gone. https://t.co/NWtxCry9HS
— Jtomka (@jtomka) February 27, 2018
https://twitter.com/DontFearPCMomys/status/968497604148408322
https://twitter.com/RealDanLee/status/968655153653059586
It’s good to know that Obama’s no longer president and these companies no longer have to feel compelled to have a “conversation” with him, and besides, what more does he want?
Alex, I'll take "What are things never said in the mainstream media" if @HillaryClinton wins for $50, please. https://t.co/cYLW3MNv1w
— John L. Pitts (@JohnLPitts) February 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/EF517_V2/status/968651917860761600
They're no good if they can't guarantee Democratic Party victories. https://t.co/VY85ILicME
— Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) February 28, 2018
well shame on him for he was the President until a year ago and he didnt do jack shit about it. https://t.co/FcH0E9wRIN
— 5am 247e (@FaWonderer) February 27, 2018
https://twitter.com/Antonio9847/status/968578544803737602
Keep censoring conservatives and they'll end up regulated into oblivion https://t.co/q8bHR0lFOX
— Rev. Ducati? (@Reverend_Ducati) February 28, 2018
Social media company has no more responsibility than a highway owner has for drunken driving. It's the job of law enforcement if rights as per constitution have been violated – companies have no business being ideology or culture cops. https://t.co/rITmSTqBxD
— Anurag Shrivastava (@hrnext) February 27, 2018
Reason’s Robby Soave reports that Obama said “media giants like Facebook and Google should keep in mind that the U.S. government has a role to play in ensuring there are ‘basic rules of the road in place that create level playing fields.'”
Who isn’t tired of hearing that “level playing fields” nonsense from Obama — sounds like he knows he let conservatives gain a dominant foothold on social media while he wasn’t paying attention.
Related:
This could be Barack Obama's most SHAMELESS claim yet, and that's saying something https://t.co/Aa4spqaz5Y
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 27, 2018
Join the conversation as a VIP Member