President Joe Biden warns against manipulation of social media in final speech

In his final address to the nation, five days before handing over the Oval Office to President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden issued a dire warning against the dangers of big tech and a fact-checking social media landscape.

Biden first warned that an “oligarchy” is forming in the upper echelons of America that threatens democracy as we know it.

“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair chance for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said.

The 46th president was most likely referring to Mark Zuckerberg, who has banned fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram and donated $1 million to Trump through his tech giant Meta, and X and Tesla mogul Elon Musk, who has made it abundantly clear that he will stand. as a huge point of influence throughout Trump’s upcoming term.

Biden stressed that “social media abandoning fact-checking” could pose a great danger to freedom of information and the pursuit of truth in the United States, adding that “the free press is crumbling” and giving way to an “avalanche of misinformation and disinformation that enables the abuse of power .”

“Truth is stifled by lies told for power and for profit,” Biden said. “We must hold social platforms accountable to protect our children and our families and our democracy itself from abuse of power.”

Biden also took a small jab at Trump during the speech, calling for the Constitution to be changed so that “no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office.” Trump was found guilty of 34 felonies in March in connection with falsifying documents to cover up payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

He also called for an 18-year term limit on Supreme Court justices, which has remained a hot-button issue after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.