On January 6, 2021, a mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol, driven by the false narrative of a stolen election. This attack left five people dead, injured over 140 police officers, and raised critical questions about the state of democracy in America.
Despite the substantial evidence uncovered by the committee’s investigators, who sifted through tens of thousands of documents and conducted a host of interviews, social media’s culpability was notably downplayed in the final report. In an interview on FRESH AIR, Drew Harwell discussed how the “purple team,” specifically tasked with examining social media’s contribution, was largely ignored in the report’s final version. The omission was influenced by political considerations and a reluctance to confront the tech companies and the broader Republican Party’s tolerance of dangerous online chatter.
The tech platforms, with their focus on engagement and growth, often overlooked alarming signals. Harwell cited an employee from Twitter, Anika Collier Navaroli, who was part of the team responsible for content safety. Navaroli and her colleagues were aware of the menacing buildup towards violence but found their hands tied due to the company’s hesitance to implement stricter policies. They believed this inaction stoked the fires that eventually engulfed the Capitol.
Facebook, too, faced scrutiny for disbanding its civic integrity team after the 2020 election and for having a white list of accounts that evaded fact-checking measures. These actions, according to testimony from whistleblower Frances Haugen, pointed to a company that prioritized profits over safety, and they were called out by the committee investigators for their part in the insurrection’s inception.
Beyond investigative reports, cultural reflections on the Capitol riots and the part social media played are also emerging. Aaron Sorkin, the acclaimed screenwriter of “The Social Network,” announced that he is penning a follow-up script that will examine Facebook’s role during the Trump era, especially in relation to the January 6 riots. Sorkin directly blames Facebook for the events of that day, arguing that the platform’s algorithm promoted the most divisive material possible to increase user engagement.
Relevant articles:
– Social media’s role in Jan. 6 was left out of the final report, JANUARY 26, 2023
– Aaron Sorkin is working on a Jan. 6-focused follow-up to The Social Network, Yahoo Lifestyle Australia, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 19:00:10 GMT
– Aaron Sorkin working on new Facebook movie tied to Jan 6 riots, Digital Journal, Sun, 28 Apr 2024 04:20:57 GMT
– Aaron Sorkin teases new movie in ‘Social Network’ universe, blames Facebook for Jan. 6 riots, Globe Echo, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 19:41:02 GMT