*By Michael Teich*
Democrats led by Senator Mark Warner are stepping up the charge against big tech, but they may not accomplish anything unless the party makes major gains in the midterm elections, according to Axios reporter David McCabe.
Disinformation and privacy concerns on social media platforms have become a major concern of many lawmakers after Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election was uncovered.
"It's not hugely surprising to see Democrats engaging on the disinformation piece because of the concerns about 2016," McCabe said Tuesday in an interview with Cheddar.
Facebook has spent nearly two years working to counter political misinformation campaigns on its platform. The company announced Tuesday it found and removed 32 pages and accounts linked to an influence campaign on Facebook and Instagram. Warner said in a statement Tuesday that "the Kremlin continues to exploit platforms like Facebook to sow division and spread disinformation."
Before Facebook's announcement, McCabe had obtained Warner's policy papers, which propose 20 ways to address disinformation online, protect user privacy, and encourage greater competition.
McCabe said he's skeptical that Warner's proposals can be enacted in the near-term. Despite a growing tech-lash and heightened concerns over data privacy that resulted from Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal, the issues are not priorities for Democrats or Republicans.
"Going into midterms, this hasn’t proven to be a big election issue," McCabe said before Facebook's latest revelation.
If Democrats can shift party control of Congress in November, they may be able to get enough momentum behind Warner's ideas, said McCabe. But even if they do well in midterms, the Democrats will have to go up against big tech's robust lobbying efforts. McCabe said the Democrats' intentions, as outlined by Warner, may prompt tech companies to spend even more on lobbying lawmakers in Washington.
In September, legislators will question social media executives including Twitter's Jack Dorsey in order to evaluate how government regulations might prevent the spread of misinformation and propaganda on social platforms.
For more on this, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/mark-warners-uphill-battle-against-big-tech).
Anne Mahlum isn't mincing words: her start-up is for sale. The founder and CEO of Solidcore, the latest boutique fitness studio with an NYC flagship, says she's expanding the business with an eye on a sale within five years.
The markets looked to recover from a major sell-off on Wednesday. The Dow closed down more than 800 points. The Florida Panhandle is reeling after Hurricane Michael tore through the region causing catastrophic damage. And Razer launched a handful of new products, including the Razer Phone 2, to make gaming more accessible. Kevin Allen joins Cheddar to explain what makes the products stand out in the gaming world.
Shopify, the Canadian e-commerce site, is finding its place offline opening its first retail space ever in Los Angeles. Satish Kanwar, VP of product at Shopify, said that the company's goal is always to make entrepreneurship more accessible.
The competition is on for new medicinal marijuana licenses in New Jersey after Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy prioritized cannabis production when he took office. The CEO of one potential licensee, Moxie, thinks the state has "passed the tipping point" for accepting medical pot at the state level.
Chad Morganlander, portfolio manager at Washington Crossing Advisors, and Daniel Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, urged caution and long-term thinking for investors not used to this kind of volatility.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
The Dow was back to session lows late Thursday morning after briefly entering the green following Wednesday's widespread sell-off.
Google's community-based traffic app epanded its carpool service to customers in the U.S. on Wednesday. Josh Fried, head of carpool at Waze, said the main goal is to reduce traffic and make it easier for its customers to carpool effectively.
In July, AT&T made a strategic investment in Magic Leap, the high-profile augmented reality start-up. It was a key move as the telecoms giant continues its push toward winning the 5G race. Cheddar caught up with John Donovan, CEO of AT&T Communications, to discuss the tie-up and what 5G will mean for consumers.
DeKryptic is combining the fashion industry and the technology industry to bring your clothes to life through augmented reality. Christopher Fermoselle, Co-Owner and Creative Director of DeKryptic and Boosted Art, demonstrates how his mobile app can make the images on garments animate, and explains why that's a valuable marketing tool.
