Following its engagement in further cases of deliberate bias and fact-skewing, President Trump recently used a campaign stop to rail against Comcast, the parent company of NBC and MSNBC.
He stated that he will do everything possible to destroy the image of the corporation – a top 20 most hated company in America that “spends millions and millions of dollars” to better its reputation.
While some in the mainstream media have claimed the president is trying to “weaponize his office” against the parent company of NBC and MSNBC, this isn’t about politics. It’s about policy. The president is exposing the media giant’s crony, anti-free market business practices and the fact that they seem to view themselves as above the rules.
The federal court this week validated the president’s thoughts on Comcast by putting a stop to the company’s egregious theft of intellectual property from TiVo. What’s significant about this case is that Comcast has for years sought to escape punishment from the International Trade Commission for snatching others’ IP.
Because of the court’s decision, Comcast will now lose its two other upcoming ITC cases with TiVo by default, which will ultimately require it to do what everyone else has to do moving forward – respect private property rights and pay for licenses. The horror!
At its core, Trump is seeking to protect consumers from an abusive corporation. This court decision provides fodder for the Trump administration to continue addressing Comcast’s troubled, predatory practices.
Doing so is important because not only have many accused Comcast of charging consumers more for less services, but now, according to the ITC and Appeals Court, it’s also literally robbing from other companies’ blind. Along with establishing Comcast as a thief, the case will form a precedent that will allow other Comcast victims to fight it through the ITC moving forward. The Trump administration helping to spread the word about the case’s developments will ensure the company is brought to justice in more than just this one-off case.
Beyond Comcast’s harms to consumer and theft of property, there are larger issues at play here.
Last week, Attorney General Bill Barr outlined the Department of Justice’s concerns and intent to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 grants the nation’s tech giants immunity from lawsuits when it comes to issues of discrimination and illegality. In short, these companies often block content that they allege is offensive but is in reality just of a political viewpoint they don’t like.
Most of the Section 203 ire has been directed at social media giants like Twitter and Facebook, which are known offenders. However, there is a reason that some have considered Section 230 also to be a giveaway to companies like Comcast. While most Internet Service Providers (ISP) have remained reasonably neutral in their display of content, everyone knows where Comcast’s political allegiances and motivations stand.
After all, according to the National Center for Public Policy Research, Comcast’s CEO declined to deny it runs MSNBC as a de facto lobbying tool for liberal officials. If that’s the case, one would think that they also wouldn’t blink an eye to censoring their opposition as a means of cozying up to them even further.
As it sorts through its Section 203 reform plan, the Trump administration will likely be considering removing Comcast’s Section 230 protections to make it liable for predatory, discriminatory actions moving forward. Doing so would not only make it accountable to the First Amendment and its consumers, but it will also likely add further fuel to the company’s inevitable financial hit caused by this week’s Appeals Court’s IP decision.
President Trump is right to stand up to corporative thieves and bullies in defend this country’s consumers and businesses. Far from abusing his office, he’s fulfilling his obligation as the protector of the American people. There are plenty of free market and legal avenues at the administration’s disposal to clamp down on Comcast and other companies’ predatory activity to stop the abuse while educating the public about its unfair practices. The White House should provide close, careful consideration for each one.
Dan Perkins is an author of both thrillers and children’s books. He appears on over 1,100 radio stations. Mr. Perkins appears regularly on international TV talk shows, he is current events commentator for seven blogs, and a philanthropist with his foundation for American veterans, Songs and Stories for Soldiers, Inc. More information about him, his writings, and other works are available on his website, DanPerkins.guru. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.