Microsoft promised in February to deny the censorship tool NewsGuard, but NewsGuard is still listed in Microsoft's search coaching tool for children.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) I hit it A big victory over free speech when his investigation led the software giant to deny support for NewsGuard's “biased indoctrination tools.”
Cruz I said In a statement from early February:
Big Tech is finally beginning to realize that conservative perspective censorship will no longer be tolerated by the American public. I am pleased that Microsoft's leadership has abandoned support for NewGuard's so-called media literacy tools in response to my letter. NewsGuard's biased rating system reduces intellectual diversity, hinders critical thinking among young students, and undermines the core values of free expression.
Last December, Cruz sent a letter requesting information about Microsoft's financial support for News Guard's “media literacy” program and censored a conservative perspective.
In response to Cruz's letter, Microsoft said it had donated once to a censorship tool and asked the news guard remove “NewsGuard's media literacy program was made possible thanks to generous support from Microsoft.” NewsGuard has since removed the company's mention from its website.
Cruise had made progress in building Microsoft's distance from NewsGuard, but Mike Benz, a former State Department official and founder of the Freedom Online Foundation, noted on Sunday that they still recommend NewsGuard.
asked Benz rhetorically. “A month ago, Microsoft made a promise @sentedcruz It would deny News Guard, a for-profit censorship software company that has destroyed or bankrupted hundreds of conservative news sites on its own. However, since its denial, Microsoft still recommends NewsGuard. why? “
Mercedes continues. “News Guard is still listed as embedded in Microsoft's search coach. It follows the hearts and minds of impressive young school children who drive News Guard's Microsoft integrated products off conservative news sites. This cannot exist in our school.”
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him with x @seanmoran3.
