Former President Barack Obama is laying out a new vision for how big tech can counteract misinformation and disinformation.
The president outlined his views during a speech at Stanford University on Thursday. "At the end of the day, tools don't control us," he said in the hour-long remarks. "We control them and we can remake them."
President Obama said social media platforms are simply tools, using his keynote address at Stanford's Cyber Policy Center to call out the failures of those tools, while also laying out a path forward.
"Do we allow our democracy to wither? Or do we make it better? That’s the choice we face," Obama explained.
He urged more regulation and public oversight.
"Tech companies should be able to protect their intellectual proprietary while also following safety standards that we as a country – not just them – have agreed are necessary for protecting the greater good," he said.
The speech revolved around the need to reform tech platforms like Facebook and Twitter to slow the spread of lies and falsehoods, while also reinvesting in institutions dedicated to truth. "Part of this project is also going to require us finding creative ways to reinvigorate quality journalism, including local journalism," the president added.
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