Author Giliann Karon

Giliann Karon
Jan 11, 2025
Trump vilified tech giants. Now they’re giving him millions.

“These companies have flourished because of a lack of regulation, and these leaders are now making choices that can insulate them down the road,” said Nicole Gill, director of Accountable Tech. She compared Zuckerberg to a school kid who befriends the class bully: “He is willing to do whatever he thinks it will take to stay afloat.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 10, 2025
The War of the Rich Against the Rest of Us: Social Media Edition

Misinformation researchers said Meta’s decision to end fact-checking was deeply concerning. Nicole Gill, a founder and the executive director of the digital watchdog organization Accountable Tech, said Zuckerberg was “reopening the floodgates to the exact same surge of hate, disinformation, and conspiracy theories that caused Jan. 6 -- and that continue to spur real-world violence.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 10, 2025
Zuckerberg has turbo-boosted enshittification, and we’re all going to pay

Zuckerberg’s decision received a mixed response. It was enthusiastically welcomed by fellow billionaire social media owner Elon Musk and US president-elect Donald Trump but widely condemned by others, including executive director of Accountable Tech Nicole Gill, who told The New York Times Meta was welcoming a “surge of hate, disinformation and conspiracy theories”.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 09, 2025
Zuckerberg Goes “Full MAGA” as Meta Ends Fact-Checking in U.S. & Paves Way for More Hate Speech

Nicole Gill, the head of Accountable Tech, called Meta’s move a, quote, “gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.” The decision comes weeks after Zuckerberg dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and after Meta donated a million dollars to Trump’s inauguration. On Tuesday, Meta also appointed a close Trump ally, Dana White, to the company’s board. White is the CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship. Trump praised the new Meta policies.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 08, 2025
Week 9 – The Return

Digital rights groups condemned the change. Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, called it “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 08, 2025
Meta to End Fact-Checking on Facebook, Instagram and Threads

Nicole Gill, the head of Accountable Tech, called Meta’s move a “gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 08, 2025
Facebook and Instagram Say Goodbye To Fact-Checking

Trump praised the news, while others decried this reversal. Digital rights group Accountable Tech called it “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world,” while the advocacy group Free Press said Zuckerberg is “saying yes to more lies, yes to more harassment, yes to more hate.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 08, 2025
With Trump on his way back to the White House, Meta drops its fact-checking program

Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, called the news “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 08, 2025
Meta’s Major Changes: Zuckerberg Fires Fact-Checkers and Partners with Trump

The Accountable Tech lobby group also condemned the move. “Meta is re-opening the floodgates to the exact same surge of hate, disinformation and conspiracy theories that caused January 6th,” the group stated.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 08, 2025
Facebook Moderation Move Is a Mistake. Why Zuckerberg Shouldn’t Copy Musk With Meta and 5 Other Things to Know Today.

Accountable Tech co-founder Nicole Gill said the move appeases Trump by upending safety policies regarding the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Explainer: How does the end of Meta’s fact-checking programme affect you?

Several digital rights groups are criticising Meta’s reversal of its fact-checking programme. Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, said in a statement that the decision is “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world”.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Meta Follows Elon Musk’s Lead, Moves Staffers to Billionaire-Friendly Texas

“They're obviously following Elon Musk's lead,” says Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech. “Just by the signal [sent by] moving their base of operations from what is perceived to be a liberally biased state—it's not—to what’s perceived to be a Republican or conservative-coded state.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Meta scraps fact-checking on platforms ahead of Trump presidency

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta has announced it would be effectively ending its fact-checking program across its social media apps. The company's platforms will now rely on users to add notes to posts that may contain false or misleading information, similar to the process used by X. GUEST: Nicole Gill, Co-founder and Executive Director of Accountable Tech

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Mark Zuckerberg Ends Meta Fact-Checking as Donald Trump Takes Office

Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, called Meta's decision "a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world." In a statement, released today, she warned that Meta was inviting "the exact same surge of hate, disinformation and conspiracy theories" that fueled the Jan. 6 attack.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Tech Watchdogs Warn Meta’s Decision Could Cause Surge in Disinformation

Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, said in a statement that the decision was “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.” Meta, she cautioned, was inviting “the exact same surge of hate, disinformation and conspiracy theories” that fueled the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
After Trump’s election win, Meta is firing fact checkers and making big changes

The Accountable Tech lobby group said Meta was "re-opening the floodgates to the exact same surge of hate, disinformation and conspiracy theories that caused January 6th".

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Saying Its Content Moderation Has ‘Gone Too Far,’ Meta Now Set to Become Hotbed of Transphobia and Conspiracies

Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, said that this was "a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world," and would usher in a new era of more conspiracy theories and general insanity around the world.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
In Another Bow To Donald Trump, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg Says It Will End Fact Checking On Facebook And Instagram

Accountable Tech, a public interest group that has pushed for tech giants to take greater steps to police content on its platforms, condemned Zuckerberg’s announcement. Its executive director Nicole Gill called it “preemptive capitulation.” “It would be cringey if it weren’t so calculated,” she said. “Extremism is foundational to Meta’s business model, which depends on engagement to drive business revenue.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Meta moves to end fact-checking program in shift before Trump term

Misinformation researchers said Meta’s decision to end fact-checking was deeply concerning. Nicole Gill, a founder and the executive director of the digital watchdog organization Accountable Tech, said Zuckerberg was “reopening the floodgates to the exact same surge of hate, disinformation and conspiracy theories that caused Jan. 6 — and that continue to spur real-world violence.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Meta Says It Will End Its Fact-Checking Program on Social Media Posts

Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, said in a statement that the decision was “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.” Meta, she cautioned, was inviting “the exact same surge of hate, disinformation and conspiracy theories” that fueled the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Meta kneels to Trump? Think again.

Liberals were horrified, with Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, calling it in a statement “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Meta elimina checagem e ataca decisões secretas de tribunais da América Latina

Em comunicado, a Accountable Tech, que defende a responsabilização das big techs pela desinformação, disse que a decisão é "um presente para Donald Trump e extremistas ao redor do mundo". Já a Free Press disse que Zuckerberg está "dizendo sim a mais mentiras, a mais assédio, a mais ódio".

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Meta elimina de Facebook e Instagram su programa de verificación de datos y se acerca a Trump con el modelo de Musk

Aunque Trump y varios republicanos ha aplaudido la decisión de Meta diversos grupos especializados en derechos digitales han lanzado voces de alerta sobre los cambios. “Es un regalo para Donald Trump y para extremistas en todo el mundo”, ha dicho en un comunicado Nicole Gill, directora de Accountable Tech.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 07, 2025
Accountable Tech Condemns Meta’s Decision to End Fact Checking; Gut Trust and Safety Measures

Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill issued the following statement in response to Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to end fact-checking on Meta’s platforms, the latest in a series of actions to appease Donald Trump by upending the company’s safety policies. 

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Dec 18, 2024
Accountable Tech on the Kids Online Safety Act

Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement on House Republican leadership’s decision to exclude the Kids Online Safety Act in the year-end government funding bill:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Dec 06, 2024
Future Pulse Newsletter: Do it for the kids

On Tuesday, a range of advocacy groups will host a holiday-themed rally that features parents who have lost children to online bullying, drug sales and other exploitative content. Groups include the Eating Disorder Coalition for Research, Policy and Action; Fairplay; ParentsTogether; Accountable Tech; and Design It For Us.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Nov 21, 2024
The Deal With the Devil that Paved the Way for Trump’s Oligarchy

At the time, Nicole Gill, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Accountable Tech, emphasised to Byline Times the crucial role Lina Khan was playing in the battle against online disinformation: “Lina Khan has proved to be a powerhouse, taking on Big Tech monopolies while corporate accountability measures have stalled in Congress. She has used the tools at her disposal to take action, while legislators have struggled to keep up with the latest threats posed by the industry – making her a key figure at the federal level to ensure we are keeping Big Tech’s power in check. Khan’s continued tenure at the FTC is crucial not only to break up Big Tech’s undue power and influence over our lives, but to the antitrust movement writ large.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Nov 01, 2024
Meta’s content preferences raise concerns amid upcoming 2024 election with recommended political content default settings

In response to the political filter, Accountable Tech, a nonprofit organization that advocates for structural reform to make the internet safer, conducted a study on algorithms for five prominent accounts, including Democrat Hillary Clinton, that regularly post about political or social topics. “There was a reduced reach of a considerable amount, over 50% decline in reach over about a three month period while this policy was going into effect,” said Zach Praiss, the campaigns director at Accountable Tech.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 31, 2024
Apple urged TikTok to increase its age recommendations, redacted documents show

Yet, there's plenty of evidence in these momentarily not-redacted documents about TikTok being not so age appropriate. In fact, outsiders and TikTok's own employees found issue with what the company did to reduce content like profanity and eating disorders. The former was found in one out of every 50 pop-up alerts that minors in the US and UK received within a month's time. Advocacy group Accountable Tech found the inadvertently public information and shared it with The Post.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 31, 2024
Officials issue warnings about AI-generated deepfakes ahead of Election Day

Other examples compiled by Accountable Tech include Elon Musk reposting to X an AI-doctored version of a Vice President Kamala Harris campaign video. And an ad from U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) that initially failed to include a required disclosure that some of the images were AI-generated. The disclosure was later added.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 31, 2024
Apple told TikTok it’s unfit for young teens, new lawsuit details allege

Accountable Tech campaign associate Zamaan Qureshi said the evidence “should worry every parent, young person, lawmaker and regulator in the United States.” Without more legislative action on child online safety, he said, lawsuits like the one by South Carolina have become effectively “the only accountability measures left to learn what these companies know about their products and know what kind of harm these products are causing young people.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 29, 2024
Election Fraud Conspiracy Theories Are Already Thriving Online

“This has created an environment where anyone can find content online that proves their beliefs to be true, no matter if it’s rooted in reality or not,” says Nicole Gill, the co-founder and executive director of Accountable Tech. “The public has fewer options to anchor themselves in truth and reality, and there’s no denying that Big Tech absolutely played a role in that.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 29, 2024
One Week from Election Day, Accountable Tech Condemns Meta for Facilitating Anti-Government Militia Organizing on Facebook

Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill released the following statement after new reporting found that Facebook is failing to shut down anti-government militia activity on its platform – and is even auto-generating group pages – in the lead-up to Election Day:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 21, 2024
Adopting Social Media Election Campaigns Affects 2024 Presidential Race

Following a study by Accountable Tech, engagement with political content on Instagram decreased 65 percent after Meta announced its intention to stop recommending political posts.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 07, 2024
Sustainable Media Center Welcomes Eight New Members to its Advisory Board

A seasoned political strategist and communications expert, Robbie Dornbush is currently Chief of Staff at Accountable Tech. With a background that includes high-impact issue advocacy campaigns and a role as Chief of Staff and Special Assistant to the Press Secretary at the White House, Robbie brings extensive political and strategic experience to the Center.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 03, 2024
Accountable Tech on Injunction Against California Anti-Deepfakes Law

Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill issued the following statement on U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez’s ruling to pause enforcement of AB 2389, a California law recently signed by Governor Gavin Newsom to prevent the distribution of deepfakes made about political candidates within a certain proximity to an election:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 02, 2024
Newsom throws AI regulation fight into uncertainty with veto

“[SB 1047] was the first of its kind legislation that went and put real safeguards in place for some of the biggest and scariest unknown potential uses of AI — which, particularly given the rapid advancement of the technology, is really important for us to have those guardrails in place moving forward,” Kaili Lambe, the policy and advocacy director for Accountable Tech, told The Hill.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Oct 01, 2024
Accountable Tech on Enactment of Maryland Kids Code

Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement on the Maryland Kids Code coming into effect:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 30, 2024
Newsom vetoes controversial California AI bill

Nonprofit Accountable Tech in an emailed statement Sunday called Newsom's veto "a massive giveaway to Big Tech companies and an affront to all Americans who are currently the unconsenting guinea pigs of an unregulated and untested" AI industry.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 29, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Gov. Newsom’s Veto of California’s Landmark AI Safety Bill

Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act (SB 1047) — a landmark bill that would have implemented crucial guardrails around AI development, including requiring pre-deployment safety testing and third-party auditing. The bill passed the State Legislature with broad bipartisan support but was opposed by Big Tech companies including Meta, OpenAI, and Google.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 25, 2024
Big Tech Would Be Key to Delivering Project 2025’s Anti-Abortion Plans

The signatories—which include Accountable Tech, GLAAD, and The Tech Oversight Project—warn that Project 2025’s anti-abortion policies would lead to “heightened surveillance and an increase in the trend of law enforcement using criminal subpoenas to weaponize the consumer data your companies collect and store.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 25, 2024
Civil Society Groups Demand Big Tech Response to Project 2025’s Threat to Reproductive Freedom

Accountable Tech led a coalition of civil society organizations in a letter to tech executives that demands plans from Big Tech companies to ensure the privacy of abortion seekers and to prevent the spread of health misinformation online, in light of heightened threats to reproductive freedom posed by a potential second Trump term and Project 2025.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 24, 2024
Will Big Tech be held accountable when it comes to violence against women?

The nonprofit Accountable Tech has published several reports showing big tech companies don’t necessarily keep promises about privacy and safety made in their news releases. Their research showed that Google was retaining location data on visits to abortion clinics despite saying that information would be deleted.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 24, 2024
Teen group, tech critics push for stronger online safety measure

Qureshi’s coalition, along with Accountable Tech, another group that favors restrictions on tech platforms, brought dozens of young people to Capitol Hill last week to lobby for tougher measures.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 21, 2024
Accountable Tech on Instagram’s new teen account

Instagram has introduced a so-called ‘teen account' with enhanced security measures. Global News Morning speaks with Accountable Tech co-founder Nicole Gil about how far the measures go toward protecting kids and teens from online harm.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 18, 2024
How Instagram is now different for teen users

Nicole Gill the co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit Accountable Tech, said Instagram is trying to show it can self-regulate to avoid others stepping in to regulate.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 18, 2024
Instagram makes teen accounts private as pressure mounts on the app to protect children

Nicole Gill, the co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit Accountable Tech, called Instagram’s announcement the “latest attempt to avoid actual independent oversight and regulation and instead continue to self-regulate, jeopardizing the health, safety, and privacy of young people...”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 18, 2024
Meta attempts to ‘prioritize teen safety’ by making Instagram accounts private—but is it enough?

Nicole Gill, the co-founder and executive director of Accountable Tech, called the move “yet another hollow policy announcement” by the company, adding, “Meta has known since at least 2019 that teens reported an increase in body image issues from using Instagram, along with increases in the rates of anxiety and depression, yet the company executives including Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri did nothing. … Today’s PR exercise falls short of the safety by design and accountability that young people and their parents deserve and only meaningful policy action can guarantee.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 17, 2024
Instagram to automatically put teens into private accounts with increased restrictions and parental controls

"Today’s PR exercise falls short of the safety by design and accountability that young people and their parents deserve and only meaningful policy action can guarantee," Nicole Gill, cofounder and executive director of Accountable Tech, wrote in a statement. "Meta’s business model is built on addicting its users and mining their data for profit; no amount of parental and teen controls Meta is proposing will change that.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 17, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Meta’s Announcement of Instagram Teen Accounts

Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill issued the following statement on Instagram’s policy announcements today for teens and parents:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Sep 16, 2024
The tech group challenging state efforts to protect kids online

Nicole Gill, executive director and co-founder of Accountable Tech, accused NetChoice of engaging in a “larger agenda … to overturn tech regulation policies nationwide in an effort to protect Big Tech’s profits and influence.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Aug 28, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Advancement of California’s Landmark AI Safety Bill

Today, the California General Assembly passed the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act (SB 1047) — a landmark bill that would require AI developers to adhere to common sense safety guidelines for new AI models. The legislation, which is sponsored by California State Senator Scott Wiener, would introduce crucial guardrails around AI development, including requiring pre-deployment safety testing and third-party auditing. The bill will head back to the State Senate for a confirmation vote and then to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Aug 19, 2024
Trump shares doctored images showing Taylor Swift support

"No one is immune to AI's harms, not even Taylor Swift," said the campaign group Accountable Tech. "Without urgent intervention, it'll only get worse."

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jul 30, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Senate Passage of KOSA and COPPA 2.0

Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act (KOSPA), a package bill that includes the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and Children and Teen Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0):

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jul 26, 2024
Department of Education Sued Following Markup Investigation Into FAFSA Data Shared with Facebook

Almost immediately following The Markup’s investigation, the nonprofit organizations National Student Legal Defense Network (Student Defense), which provides legal defense for higher education students, and Accountable Tech, which advocates against online surveillance practices, asked lawmakers to investigate the trackers on the FAFSA website, and requested documents from the Department of Education under the Freedom of Information Act. The groups asked the Department of Education to provide any communications between government officials and Facebook. Their request also asked for any reports or other documents about data being sent to the company through the Meta Pixel.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jul 22, 2024
Accountable Tech on White House Report to Address Online Youth Safety

Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill issued the following statement on the release of the Biden administration’s interagency task force report to protect the online safety and privacy of children and young people:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jul 12, 2024
Accountable Tech on Meta Removing Trump Account Restrictions

Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill issued the following statement on Meta removing its restrictions to former President Trump’s accounts ahead of the 2024 elections:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jul 09, 2024
Biden’s tech and telecom enforcers to face a hostile House GOP

Zamaan Qureshi, previously of the “Real Facebook Oversight Board” advocacy group, is joining Accountable Tech as a campaigns associate. He will remain as co-chair of the youth-led advocacy group Design It For Us.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jul 01, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Supreme Court Content Moderation Cases

In response to the Supreme Court vacating NetChoice v. Paxton and Moody v. NetChoice, Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 27, 2024
Reactions to the Supreme Court’s 6-3 Decision in Murthy v Missouri

Nicole Gill, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Accountable Tech: “The lawsuits brought by Missouri and Louisiana were meritless and based on inaccuracies intended to weaponize the First Amendment, which would have undermined the government’s ability to defend the U.S. against election interference and disinformation campaigns, particularly in a critical election year. Cooperation between the government and platforms about foreign influence campaigns, election integrity and public health emergencies is essential to preserving public safety and a healthy democracy.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 26, 2024
Instagram fixes an ‘error’ over political content ahead of the debate.

Nicole Gill, a founder of Accountable Tech, a group that seeks stronger oversight of major technology companies, said Meta should be held responsible for the changes and answer questions about how the error was made and how many users were affected.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 26, 2024
Supreme Court Backs White House on Social Media Post Removal

Some election experts said the court’s decision will enable the government and platforms to work more closely together to prevent foreign influence campaigns during the election season. Nicole Gill, executive director of tech watchdog group Accountable Tech, said cooperation is “essential to preserving public safety and a healthy democracy.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 26, 2024
Supreme Court rejects effort to limit government communication on misinformation

Nicole Gill, executive director and founder of Accountable Tech, a nonprofit focused on reining in the power of big tech companies, called cooperation between the government and platforms around foreign influence campaigns, election integrity and public health emergencies “essential to preserving public safety and a healthy democracy.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 26, 2024
US top court declines to curb govt contact with social media firms

The lawsuits intended to "weaponize" the First Amendment, which would have undermined the government's ability to defend the United States against election interference and disinformation campaigns, watchdog group Accountable Tech said as it welcomed Wednesday's ruling. "Cooperation between the government and platforms about foreign influence campaigns, election integrity and public health emergencies is essential to preserving public safety and a healthy democracy," the group said.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 26, 2024
The Supreme Court sides with Biden administration in social media ‘jawboning’ case

“Cooperation between the government and platforms about foreign influence campaigns, election integrity and public health emergencies is essential to preserving public safety and a healthy democracy,” Nicole Gill, executive director of the advocacy group Accountable Tech, said in a statement.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 26, 2024
Instagram accidentally activates setting to limit political content ahead of first Biden-Trump debate

Tech advocacy group Accountable Tech urged Meta to give users and creators details about the error and how long the setting was affected. Nicole Gill, executive director and co-founder of Accountable Tech, underscored the potential impact of the error based on the timing of the presidential debate.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 26, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Meta’s Erroneous Limitation of Political Content

Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement on Meta briefly defaulting all Instagram accounts to limit political content, a day before the first U.S. presidential debate:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 26, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Murthy v. Missouri

Following today’s Supreme Court decision on Murthy v. Missouri, Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement:

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 25, 2024
How AI can help and hurt the environment

“One of the many unknowns about AI is its impact on the environment,” Kaili Lambe, policy and advocacy director at nonprofit Accountable Tech, said in a statement. “As rapid advances have led to increasingly widespread use of LLMs and other data-intensive AI systems, it’s imperative that we understand and take steps to mitigate unintended harm, including the potential for environmental degradation. Too often transparency takes a backseat when it comes to Big Tech innovation.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 13, 2024
Accountable Tech on Governor Scott’s Veto of Vermont Kids Code

Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement on Governor Phil Scott’s veto of the Vermont Data Privacy Act (H.121), which includes the Vermont Kids Code.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 13, 2024
Exclusive: Civil society groups push Big Tech to combat disinformation

Accountable Tech, All Voting is Local, and groups focused on Asian, Black, and Hispanic people also are among the signatories.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 12, 2024
Meta says it won’t support suit against major child safety law

In February, the left-leaning advocacy group Accountable Tech launched a digital ad campaign calling on the two companies to leave NetChoice and “stop funding Big Tech’s lobbying against bipartisan legislation to protect kids online.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jun 12, 2024
Tech Groups Call On US DoJ To Investigate YouTube Monopoly

The letter was penned by groups including Accountable Tech; American Economic Liberties Project; Blue Future; Demand Progress Education Fund; Institute for Local Self-Reliance; Main Street Alliance; NextGen Competition; Other 98%; Progress America; Social Security Works; and Tech Oversight Project.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 16, 2024
Why Congress’s AI Plan Was Doomed From the Start

The AI roadmap is “but another proof point of Big Tech’s profound and pervasive power to shape the policymaking process,” as Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gillput it Wednesday. “Lawmakers must move quickly to enact AI legislation that centers the public interest and addresses the damage AI is currently causing in communities all across the country.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 16, 2024
Advocates warn Schumer’s AI ‘roadmap’ doesn’t go far enough

Accountable Tech co-founder and executive director Nicole Gill said the report is “but another proof point of Big Tech’s profound and pervasive power to shape the policymaking process” and called the forums a “dream scenario for the tech industry.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 16, 2024
US Senate AI Report Meets Mostly Disappointment, Condemnation

Nicole Gill, Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director: "The AI roadmap released today by Sen. Schumer is but another proof point of Big Tech’s profound and pervasive power to shape the policymaking process. The last year of closed-door ‘Insight Forums’ has been a dream scenario for the tech industry, who played an outsized role in developing this roadmap and delaying legislation."

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 15, 2024
‘I feel betrayed’: Schumer’s much-awaited AI road map gets panned by watchdogs

Other groups, including the AI Now Institute, Accountable Tech, and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, have also criticized the road map’s lack of attention to AI harms.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 15, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Senator Schumer’s AI Roadmap

Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill issued the following statement on Senator Schumer’s AI roadmap.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 10, 2024
Voters Want Social Media Companies to Protect Minors From Harmful Online Content

New polling from Data for Progress and Accountable Tech examined voters’ attitudes toward requiring platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to ensure minors are protected from harmful online content, and finds that voters overwhelmingly support such protections.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 10, 2024
Maryland Kids Code Signed Into Law, But May Face Legal Challenges

At a Wednesday press briefing hosted by the Maryland Kids Code Coalition, which includes groups like Fairplay, 5Rights Foundation, and Accountable Tech, some of the bill’s sponsors criticized the tech industry for failing to cooperate with lawmakers’ efforts to protect children online.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 09, 2024
New Mexico’s Top Prosecutor Blames Meta for Online Predators

Attorney General of New Mexico Raúl Torrez speaks during a rally organized by Accountable Tech and Design It For Us to hold tech and social media companies accountable for taking steps to protect kids and teens online on January 31, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
May 09, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on Governor Moore Signing Maryland Kids Code Into Law

Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement on Governor Wes Moore signing the Maryland Kids Code into law today.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 30, 2024
State Bills Copy California Youth Online Privacy Law: Explained

Leading the charge is 5Rights U.S., which was instrumental in shaping California Age Appropriate Design Code. 5Rights is a member of the Kids Code Coalition, which includes tech critics and child-safety organizations such as Common Sense Media and Accountable Tech.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 22, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement on the Biden Administration’s New HIPAA Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy

Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement in response to a new rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 22, 2024
Meta’s New Default Limits on “Political Content” Weaken Free Expression Online

In response, on behalf of 200+ creators, Accountable Tech and GLAAD sent an open letter to Meta speaking out against the changes, which have several implications for free expression, especially during an election year in the US and globally.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 18, 2024
Instagram’s shift away from political content raises questions about what counts as ‘political’

GLAAD, an LGBTQ advocacy group that organized the open letter from creators alongside Accountable Tech, called the decision to include social topics as part of political content an “appalling move.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 12, 2024
Creators to Meta: Adjust your political content policy!

In turn, more than 200 creators signed onto a letter — organized by Accountable Tech, a nonprofit big tech reform advocacy organization, and GLAAD, a nonprofit LGBTQ advocacy organization — sent to Meta that called on the tech giant to adjust its policy.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 12, 2024
Hundreds of creators plead with Instagram to stop hiding political content

Now a letter – signed by more than 200 creators, and launched by LGBTQ organisation GLAAD and activists Accountable Tech – has urged Meta to reverse that change. Users should have to opt into the ban if they want to mute political content, they argue.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 10, 2024
Creators Say Meta Shouldn’t Curb ‘Political Content’ In Policy Change Backlash

The letter, first reported on by the Washington Post, was organized by the groups Accountable Tech—a nonprofit that advocates for better regulation of Big Tech companies—and the LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD, and includes the handles of more than 200 accounts, including popular accounts like the @feminist account, with which has 6 million followers on Instagram.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 10, 2024
Content creators ask Meta to reverse politics limits on Instagram, Threads

The letter was organized by Accountable Tech, a nonprofit that says its mission is “to curb the societal harms driven by Big Tech’s toxic business practices,” and GLAAD, an LGBTQ rights organization. LGBTQ creators have been particularly concerned by the limitations because they were imposed as some states were placing restrictions on medical treatments for transgender youths.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 10, 2024
200+ Creators Call on Instagram to Stop Limiting “Political Content” By Default

Accountable Tech and GLAAD organized an open letter signed by more than 200 creators with a collective following of more than 18 million Instagram users calling on Meta to give users the autonomy to adjust their algorithm by making the setting to limit political and social issues content opt-in rather than on-by-default.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 10, 2024
Hundreds of creators sign letter slamming Meta’s limit on political content

Hundreds of creators, convened by GLAAD and Accountable Tech, have signed an open letter demanding that Instagram make the political content limit an opt-in feature, rather than on by default.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Apr 08, 2024
A new bill would try to make tools like Zoom and Teams work together securely

The bill has gained the backing of groups, including Accountable Tech, Demand Progress, Fight for the Future, and encrypted email and cloud storage provider Proton. Digital rights activist Cory Doctorow also voiced his support, sharing in a statement through Wyden’s office that “Interoperability — the ability to plug something new into a technology, with or without permission from the manufacturer — is the key to defeating Big Tech.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Mar 18, 2024
Accountable Tech Statement in Response to Oral Arguments in Murthy v. Missouri

Following today’s Supreme Court oral arguments on Murthy v. Missouri, Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Mar 05, 2024
NEW: All Major Social Media Platforms Are Failing on Election Preparedness Policies

Accountable Tech scorecard comes as estimated two billion people worldwide head to the polls in 2024.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Mar 01, 2024
POLL: American Voters are Overwhelmingly Concerned about Big Tech’s Fight Against Regulation

New polling from Accountable Tech and Data For Progress reveals that voters are concerned about Big Tech’s work to overturn regulations; new report sheds light on the hypocrisy of Big Tech leaders.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Feb 16, 2024
Accountable Tech on New Big Tech “Accord” to Address AI Election Content

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Feb 15, 2024
Accountable Tech Calls For Full Senate Vote on the Kids Online Safety Act

Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement on the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Feb 02, 2024
Deepfakes, Robocalls and AI, Oh My!

It's hard to know who to trust in politics these days. Can we even trust ourselves? Artificial intelligence has already made its presence felt in this year’s election, from AI-generated ads to fake Biden robocalls, and it can be very hard to tell what’s real. Nicole Gill founded Accountable Tech four years ago to monitor AI’s increasing impact on politics. She talks to CNN Political Director David Chalian about the biggest threats it presents, and how lawmakers are responding in real time.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 30, 2024
Accountable Tech Launches Digital Ad Buy Calling on Snap to Leave NetChoice

Ahead of tomorrow’s Big Tech hearing on youth online safety, the ad buy targets Snap Inc. employees urging them to call on the company to stop funding lobbying efforts against legislation to protect kids online

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 26, 2024
Accountable Tech Asks Snap to Pull Funding from NetChoice following Company’s Endorsement of Kids Online Safety Act

Ahead of CEO Evan Spiegel's appearance before Senate Judiciary Committee next week, AT asks Snap to pull out of lobby group NetChoice, clarify position on children’s online safety

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 18, 2024
Google Tracking of Abortion Clinic Visits Spurs Complaint to FTC

The complaint was also signed by the nonprofit tech watchdog project Accountable Tech, which found in November 2023 that in eight experiments across the country, Google retained abortion seekers’ location data about half of the time. The findings, first reported by The Guardian, followed a similar Accountable Tech analysis in 2022 finding that Google was still retaining the data weeks after the announced policy change. The complaint says that practice puts Google afoul of its 2011 FTC Consent order agreeing to not misrepresent how it maintains and protects the privacy of data including physical location.

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Jan 17, 2024
Google is Still Failing to Protect Privacy of Abortion Seekers

Data gathered by Accountable Tech in 7 states found that Google still collects and retains Location History data for visits to abortion clinics despite promising 18 months ago to “delete these entries”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Dec 22, 2023
Broad Group of Advocates and Experts File Amicus Briefs Countering Big Tech’s Attack on Landmark California Law Protecting Kids Online

Groups representing nearly 2 million educators, physicians, legal experts, tech whistleblowers, technologists, plus 21 bipartisan state Attorneys General, and the FTC file briefs urging Ninth Circuit to block Big Tech’s effort to weaponize First Amendment, overturn the nation’s first comprehensive children’s privacy law and imperil existing consumer safety laws

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Dec 14, 2023
Google is rolling out new protections for our location data

“In July 2022, Google promised to delete sensitive location data to protect people seeking abortion care in a post-Roe America, but in the past year and a half, [it] has fallen short,” said Nicole Gill, executive director of the advocacy group Accountable Tech. “We are encouraged by their latest announcement to better protect the privacy of the millions of people who use their products every day.”

Giliann Karon Giliann Karon
Giliann Karon
Dec 11, 2023
As advertisers flee Musk’s X, Democrats splurge on political ads

The platform “will continue playing a key role in shaping political discourse so long as it remains the platform of choice for reporters,” said Jesse Lehrich, a spokesman for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and co-founder of the left-leaning advocacy group Accountable Tech.

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