Sen. John Thune, R-SD., is delaying the confirmation of an FCC nominee who President Donald Trump picked to fight social media censorship, according to Breitbart.
Trump nominated Nathan Simington who works as an adviser in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Thune has agreed to “move forward” with Simington as the FCC nominee if that is what Trump wants, “but I think [the White House will] have to deal with the reality that it’s unlikely that we can get through this process before,” he told reporters.
In June, Trump issued an executive order designed to prevent online censorship. The order “requests that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) clarify that Section 230 does not permit social media companies that alter or editorialize users’ speech to escape civil liability.”
The petition also requests the FCC clarify when an online platform curates content in “good faith,” and requests transparency requirements on their moderation practices.
But Thune wants Trump to renominate commissioner Michael O’Rielly, who has hinted he would go against the president’s executive order. A bill currently before the FCC would give tech companies the right to censor its users with a small risk of facing legal consequences.
O’Rielly was originally appointed by President Barack Obama.
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