1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: Welcome. It is verdict. 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 2: Was Senator Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you and Senator 3 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 2: there was a big hearing on Capitol Hill that dealt 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 2: with big tech oversight. There were CEOs there from Facebook 5 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 2: and TikTok, and I want to start with Facebook center. 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 2: You had the opportunity to talk to Mark Zuckerberg specifically 7 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 2: over an issue of child exploitation being the material being 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 2: shared on Facebook. Talk a little bit about why this 9 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: hearing was so important. 10 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 3: Well, sure, let me set the stage. So this was 11 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 3: Wednesday morning. It was a hearing of five CEOs of 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 3: big tech. So you had Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of 13 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 3: Meta which is Facebook and Instagram and others. You had 14 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 3: the CEO of TikTok, You have the CEO of x 15 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 3: formerly Twitter. You had the CEO of Snapchat, and you 16 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 3: have the CEO of Discord and they were all testifying 17 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 3: before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the focus was the 18 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 3: abuse of children, and in particular children being targeted by predators, 19 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 3: by pedophiles, children being subject to extortion. And you have 20 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 3: to picture the hearing room, so it's a very large 21 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 3: hearing room. It's the hearing room where we do for example, 22 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 3: hearings on Supreme Court justices. So it's one of, if 23 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 3: not the biggest hearing room on Capitol Hill. It's got 24 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 3: a big audience. And in the audience, the room was filled, 25 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 3: it was standing room only with parents who had lost 26 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 3: their children to suicide, to abuse, who had been traumatized 27 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 3: and abused online, and predators had approached them online. In 28 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 3: many instances, predators will do things like convincing young young children, 29 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 3: convincing teenagers to send them compromising pictures, to send them 30 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 3: naked photographs, and then these scammers will often blackmail the 31 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 3: kids and threaten we're going to release these pictures unless 32 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 3: you pay us money, and in a number of instances 33 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 3: the kids pay money. And repeatedly we've seen children taking 34 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 3: their own lives, committing suicide. And so you had a 35 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 3: room full of parents who had photographs of their children, 36 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 3: most of whom presumably had lost their lives, some of 37 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 3: whom maybe had survived but had been badly impacted, whether 38 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 3: it was bisexual predators or other forms of hostile activity. 39 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 3: And so the focus of the hearing was on big tech, 40 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 3: and big tech really not only allowing our children to 41 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 3: be in jeopardy, but profiting off of addicting our children 42 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 3: to social media and everything dangerous that comes from it. 43 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 2: You talk about the dangers, and not just Facebook, but 44 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 2: also TikTok has been There's been lots of warning for 45 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 2: from those in the medical community, pediatric doctors about the 46 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 2: depression and also the addictive nature of these apps. They've 47 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 2: created them to become life altering for young people and 48 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 2: it takes over their lives. And that's where you're talking 49 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: about not only are these predators using it, but the 50 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 2: depression that comes in, and yet they're readily available and 51 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:19,959 Speaker 2: almost all these kids have them. 52 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 3: Well, that's exactly right. You know. There's a great movie 53 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 3: that is called The Social Dilemma, which if you haven't 54 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 3: watched it, I recommend it to you. It's a movie 55 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 3: about how social media companies target our kids, how they 56 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 3: have algorithms designed to addict our kids to keep them 57 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 3: watching more, and it's a great movie. Heidi and I 58 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 3: sat down with our girls and we made them both 59 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 3: watch it. They were kind of bored. They didn't think 60 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 3: it was very interesting, but we wanted them to at 61 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 3: least hear and understand what it is that big tech 62 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 3: is targeting them with so they can understand what's going on. 63 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 3: And what is infuriating is is big tech. They're printing 64 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 3: money and they give lip service, but yet they are 65 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 3: not doing nearly enough to protect children online. Let's talk 66 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 3: about part of this exploitation and child exploitation. You know 67 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 3: that bad actors are going to do it, but the 68 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 3: most shocking part is how this is allowed on social media. 69 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: And let's start with Facebook. 70 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: You had a moment where you and Mark Zuckerberg had 71 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 2: a back and forth and I want to play it 72 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 2: for people and listen to and part of this center 73 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 2: explain these warning signs because people are going to be 74 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 2: able to see the posters that you held up. Explain 75 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 2: what you were showing and how these warnings worked, and 76 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 2: then to put it in context. 77 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 3: Well, so the Wall Street Journal last year did an 78 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 3: expose about how Facebook was assisting pedophiles. Assisting pedophiles in 79 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 3: number one, targeting children, but number two finding child pornography online. 80 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 3: And they had a warning screen. So if you typed 81 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 3: in a search that was designed to pull up child pornography, 82 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 3: they would have a warning screen that would pop up 83 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 3: that says says the search you put in is likely 84 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 3: to produce images of child pornography, which is a crime. 85 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 3: You can be prosecuted for it. And then it gave 86 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 3: you two links. Do you want resources for help or 87 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 3: do you want to proceed to your search request to 88 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 3: see the child porn you're searching for? And so I 89 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 3: asked Mark Zuckerberg, why on earth they were doing that? Here? Here, 90 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 3: give a listen. Instagram also displayed the following warning screen 91 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 3: to individuals who were searching for child abuse material. These 92 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 3: results may contain images of child sexual abuse. And then 93 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 3: you gave users two choices, get resources or see results anyway, 94 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 3: mister Zuckerberg, what the hell were you thinking? 95 00:05:59,160 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 4: All right? 96 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 5: Senator? The basic science behind that is that when people 97 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 5: are searching for something that is problematic, it's often helpful 98 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 5: to rather than just blocking it, to help direct them 99 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 5: towards something that could be helpful for getting them to 100 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 5: get help. 101 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 3: In what way? I understand, get resources in what sane universe? 102 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 3: Is there a link for sea results? Anyway? 103 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 5: Well, because we might be wrong, we try to trigger 104 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 5: this this warning, or we tried to when we think 105 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 5: that there's any chance that there. 106 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: Is Okay, you might be wrong. Let me ask you 107 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 3: how many times was this warning screen displayed I don't know, 108 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 3: but the you don't know, why don't you know? 109 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 5: I don't know the answer to that, off the top 110 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 5: of my head. 111 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: I don't know the answer that off the top of 112 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: my head. 113 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 2: You also had a follow up question there right after 114 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: that center where you looked at him and you said, 115 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 2: of the people that got the warning, how many of 116 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 2: those people those child predators clicked on see it anyway? 117 00:06:57,720 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 2: And he's like, I don't know if we have that 118 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 2: dat really. 119 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 3: Well, and look what is important. And what I followed 120 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 3: up right after that is I pointed out that a 121 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 3: year ago I asked Facebook in writing that question and 122 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 3: they refuse to answer. So there's a reason I asked 123 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 3: him there. I expected him to say, I don't know. 124 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 3: But the point is they don't know because they don't 125 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 3: want to know, and more importantly, they don't want anyone 126 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 3: else to know, and so they've been stonewalling Congress and further, 127 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 3: I asked him a very simple question. Look, if someone 128 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 3: searches for child porn, searches for images of little children 129 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 3: being sexually abused, I asked him what does Facebook do 130 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 3: with that? Do you report the guy? Do you look 131 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 3: into the children who are in the images to see 132 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 3: if they need help? Do you do anything? He refused 133 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 3: to answer any of that. Here play the next exchange. Well, 134 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 3: you know what, mister Zuckerberg, it's interesting you say you 135 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 3: don't know it off the top of your head because 136 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 3: I asked it in June of twenty twenty three in 137 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 3: an overlight oversight and your company refused to answer. Will 138 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 3: you commit right now to within five days answering this 139 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 3: question for this committee? 140 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 5: We'll follow up on that. 141 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 3: Is that a yes not a will follow up? I 142 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 3: know how lawyers write statements saying we're not going to answer. 143 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 3: Will you tell us how many times this warning screen 144 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 3: was displayed? Yes or no? 145 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 5: Senator, I'll personally look into it. I'm not sure if 146 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 5: we have. 147 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 3: Okay, so you're refusing to answer that, let me ask 148 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 3: you this. How many times did an Instagram user who 149 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 3: got this warning that you're seeing images of child sexual abuse? 150 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 3: How many times did that user click on see results anyway? 151 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 3: I want to see that, Senator. 152 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 5: I'm not sure if we stored that, but I'll personally 153 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 5: look into this and we'll follow up after. 154 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 3: And what follow up did Instagram do when you have 155 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 3: a potential pedophile clicking on I'd like to see child porn? 156 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 3: What did you do next when that happens? Senator? 157 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 5: I think that an important piece of context here is 158 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 5: that any context that we think is child. 159 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 3: Zuckerberg, that's called a question. What did you do next? 160 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 3: When someone clicked you may be getting child sexual abuse 161 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 3: images and they click see results anyway? What was your 162 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 3: next step? You said you might be wrong? Did anyone 163 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 3: examine was it in fact child sexual abuse material? Did 164 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 3: anyone report that user? Did anyone go and try to 165 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 3: protect that child? What did you do next? Sator? 166 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 5: We take down anything that we think is sexual abuse 167 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 5: material on the service, and. 168 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 3: We did anyone verify whether it was in fact child 169 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 3: sectually abuse material. 170 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 5: I don't know if every single search is are or 171 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 5: falling up on, but did you report to people who 172 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 5: wanted it? 173 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 3: Soun er? 174 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 5: Do you want me to answer your question? 175 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 3: I want you to answer the question I'm asking did 176 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 3: you report? 177 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 5: Time to spend. 178 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 3: People who click see results anyway? 179 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 5: That's probably one of the factors that we use in 180 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,719 Speaker 5: reporting in general, and we've reported more people and done 181 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 5: more reports like this to Nickmick, the National Center of 182 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 5: Missing explos to Children than any other company in the industry. 183 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 5: We proactively go out of our way across our services 184 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 5: to do this and have made I think it's more 185 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 5: than twenty six million reports, which is more than the 186 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 5: whole rest of the industry combined. 187 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 3: So mister Zuckerberg and Ester Zuckerberg that we, your company, 188 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 3: and every social media company needs to do much more 189 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 3: to protect children. 190 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 2: By the way, the question I would love to know 191 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 2: Center is this, Yeah, you may have reported more, you're 192 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 2: also bigger than all the other ones. So how much 193 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:32,359 Speaker 2: sex exploitation of children has happened because of your platform? 194 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 3: Well, and understand, the Wall Street Journal expose that I 195 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 3: was asking about demonstrated how on Instagram they had hashtags 196 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 3: that pedophiles could use to find children and to find 197 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 3: child born and so their algorithms were actively assisting pedophiles 198 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 3: and doing this. By the way, Instagram no longer has 199 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 3: this screen of see results anyway. You know when they 200 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 3: took it down when after the Wall Street Journal reported 201 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 3: on what they were doing. So it was only when 202 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,679 Speaker 3: they got caught that they realized, yeah, maybe we shouldn't 203 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 3: be aiding in a bedding children being abused. That was 204 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 3: the only time they took it down. But they're still 205 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 3: not affirmatively acting to protect kids the way they should. 206 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 2: One thing I do know about these companies, they have 207 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: no problem trying to use these warnings to silence conservatives. 208 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 2: How do I know this because we put a picture 209 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,199 Speaker 2: up of the pictures that were put in front of 210 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 2: Congress of Hunter Biden. 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I also want to talk 246 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 2: about the other CEOs that were there, and another big 247 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 2: part of this was TikTok, and people may not understand 248 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 2: TikTok the same way they do. Facebook explain a little 249 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 2: bit of the of the concerns around TikTok, and it's 250 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 2: actually national security concerns as well. 251 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, so understand in the United States, they're roughly one 252 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 3: hundred and sixty million people that use TikTok, so roughly half, 253 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,079 Speaker 3: roughly fifty percent of the population of the United States 254 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 3: of America is on TikTok. They're over over a billion 255 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 3: users nationwide, but in the United States it's a one 256 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 3: hundred and sixty million. Where TikTok is particularly powerful is 257 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 3: among kids, is among young people, is among preteens, is 258 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 3: among teenagers, is among college kids. TikTok is ubiquitous. It 259 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 3: is universal among sixth graders and seventh graders, eighth, ninth, tenth, 260 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 3: eleventh graders. That is their target audience. And understand also 261 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 3: that TikTok is wholly owned by a company called byte Dance. 262 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 3: Byte Dance is a Chinese company, and under the rules 263 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 3: of China, the Chinese government has the power to monitor 264 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 3: everything that is on TikTok. So look, all of the 265 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 3: social media companies are responsible for very significant damage. But 266 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 3: TikTok is a qualitatively different damage because none of the 267 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 3: other major companies are Chinese companies. That the Chinese Communist 268 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 3: government has the power to engage in espionage, to engage 269 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 3: in spying, and to engage in pushing propaganda. And so 270 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 3: that the CEO of TikTok was there, and I took 271 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 3: the opportunity to ask him about this as well. Give 272 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 3: a listen to that exchange two. In the next couple 273 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 3: of minutes I have I want to turn to you. 274 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 3: You're familiar with China's twenty seventeen National Intelligence Law, which states, quote, 275 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 3: all organizations and citizens shall support, assistant, cooperate with national 276 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 3: intelligence efforts in accordance with the law, and shall protect 277 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 3: national intelligence work secrets they are aware of. 278 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 4: Yes, I'm familiar with this. 279 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 3: TikTok is owned by Byte Dances, bytdance subject to. 280 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 4: The law for the Chinese businesses that bit dancellens. Yesdy 281 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 4: will be subject to this. But TikTok is not available 282 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 4: in mainland China. And Senators you talked about in your office, 283 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 4: we built Project Texas to put this out of reach. 284 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 3: So ByteDance is subject to the law. Now under this law, 285 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 3: which says shall protect national intelligence work secrets they are 286 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 3: aware of. It compels people subject to the law to 287 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 3: lie to protect those secrets. Is that correct? 288 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 4: I cannot comment on that. 289 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 3: What I said again is that because you have to 290 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 3: protect those secrets. 291 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 4: No, Senator, TikTok is not available in mainland China. We 292 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 4: have moved the data into an American. 293 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 3: TikTok is controlled by byt Dance, which is subject to 294 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 3: this law. Now you said earlier, you said, and I 295 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 3: wrote this down, we have not been asked for any 296 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 3: data by the Chinese government and we have never provided it. 297 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 3: I'm going to tell you, and I told this when 298 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 3: you and I met last week in my office. I 299 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 3: do not believe you, and I'll tell you the American 300 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 3: people don't either. If you look at what is on 301 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 3: TikTok in China, you are promoting to kids science and 302 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 3: math videos, educational videos, and you limit the amount of 303 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 3: times kids can be on TikTok. In the United States, 304 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 3: you are promoting to kids self harm video and anti 305 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,880 Speaker 3: Israel propaganda. Why is there such a dramatic. 306 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 4: Difference, Senator, That is just not accurate. 307 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,400 Speaker 3: There's not a difference between what kids see in China, 308 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 3: and what kids see here. 309 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 4: Senator, TikTok is not available in China. It is a 310 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 4: separate experience there. For what I'm saying, but you. 311 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 3: You have a company that is essentially the same, except 312 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 3: it promotes beneficial materials instead of harmful materials. 313 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 4: That is not true. We have a lot of signs 314 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 4: of math content here on TikTok. There's so much of it. 315 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 3: Okay, let me point. Let me point to this, mister Chew. There. 316 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 3: There was a report recently UH that that compared hashtags 317 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 3: on Instagram to hashtags on tiktac TikTok and what trended, 318 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 3: and the differences were striking. So for something like hashtag 319 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 3: Taylor Swift or hashtag Trump, researchers found roughly to Instagram 320 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 3: posts for everyone on TikTok. That's not a dramatic difference. 321 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 3: That difference drumps jumps to a eight to one for 322 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 3: the hashtag Leger, and it jumps to thirty to one 323 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,880 Speaker 3: for the hashtag to bet, and it jumps to fifty 324 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 3: seven to one to the hashtag tienamen square, and it 325 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 3: jumps to one hundred and seventy four to one for 326 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 3: the hashtag Hong Kong protest. Why is it that on 327 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 3: Instagram people can put up a hashtag Hong Kong protest 328 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 3: one hundred and seventy four times compared to TikTok. What 329 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 3: censorship is TikTok doing at the request of the Chinese government? None, Senator, 330 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 3: that lawn. 331 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 4: The analysis flood has been debound by other external sources 332 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 4: like the Cato Institute. Fundamentally, a few things happen here. 333 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 4: Not all videos carry hashtags. That's the first thing. The 334 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 4: second thing is that you cannot selectively choose a few 335 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:52,640 Speaker 4: words within the second one by. 336 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 3: The difference between Taylor Swift and Tienaman Square. What happened 337 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:56,360 Speaker 3: at Tianman Square. 338 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 4: Senator, there was a massive protests doing in doing that time. 339 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:03,920 Speaker 4: But what I'm trying to say is USUS can freely 340 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 4: come and post. 341 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 3: How would there be no difference on Taylor Swift or 342 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 3: a minimal difference and a massive difference on Tienaman Square 343 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 3: Hong Kong. Senator, Could you wrap up please, Senator. 344 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:17,120 Speaker 4: Algorithm does not suppress any content. Simply basically question why 345 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 4: is there a difference? Like I said, I think this 346 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 4: analysis is flawed. You're selectively choosing some words over some periods. 347 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:23,880 Speaker 4: We haven't been around there. 348 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 3: Obvious difference one hundred and seventy four to one for 349 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:29,479 Speaker 3: Hong Kong compared to Taylor Swift. 350 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:32,159 Speaker 1: I mean, Senator, you listen to that. 351 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 2: I just think the guys are flat out wire and 352 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 2: nothing but a spokesman for the CCP am I wrong. 353 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 3: Look he effectively reports to the CCP. By the way, 354 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 3: at the end, that was Dick Dermott, the Democrat chairman, 355 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 3: gabbling in and trying to protect TikTok, trying to protect 356 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 3: communist China. He didn't like that line of questioning. He 357 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 3: wanted it to stop, by the way, when Democrats were questioning, 358 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 3: he let him go on and on and on, but 359 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 3: Durbin wanted to jump in and stop that line of questioning. Listen, 360 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 3: the numbers are obvious on their face, so understand the 361 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 3: differential in those hashtags. So this was a study that 362 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 3: compared different trending hashtags on Instagram, which a lot of 363 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 3: young people use, and on TikTok, which again a ton 364 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 3: of young people use. And it found for things like 365 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 3: Taylor Swift, which is something people will post about a lot, 366 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 3: particularly young people. They're big fans of Taylor Swift that 367 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 3: it was roughly two to one, So basically there were 368 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 3: two Instagram posts for every one TikTok posts. So look, 369 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 3: that's some differential, but it's not like a jarring differential. 370 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 3: As I went through, the differential became massively different with 371 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 3: messages that the Chinese communist government doesn't like, and the 372 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 3: most striking was about Hong Kong, where the differential was 373 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 3: one hundred and seventy four to one. So, in other words, 374 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 3: people could post about it on Instagram one hundred and 375 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 3: seventy four times for every time it appeared on TikTok. 376 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 3: Now you heard all of his dodge as well. That's 377 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 3: cherry picking words. I don't care. Yeah, no it's not. 378 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 3: It's not searching for how frequently the word asparagus trends. 379 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 3: It's actually searching for words that the communist Chinese government 380 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 3: does not want people to know about. And miraculously, and 381 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 3: it's not really miraculous. The words that they most want 382 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 3: people not to know about are the words that you 383 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 3: are least allowed to see on TikTok. And mind you, 384 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:38,480 Speaker 3: the CEO under oath is testifying, well, no, no, no, 385 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 3: we don't share anything with the Chinese Communist government. But 386 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 3: I laid out how the law in China is, even 387 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 3: if they shared everything with the government, they are required 388 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 3: under the law to lie about it, So he would 389 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 3: have to say that regardless of what the facts are. 390 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 2: Do you believe that there is going to be any 391 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 2: type of new legislation in or oversight that will be 392 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 2: impact with the staff this I mean obviously showing the 393 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 2: public and letting parents and grandparents be aware of the 394 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 2: real dangers here of exploitation and blackmail and human trafficking 395 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 2: and sex trafficking are extremely important. 396 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 1: But what about oversight. 397 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 3: Well, I do think there is growing bipartisan interest in 398 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 3: doing more to protect kids online, and in the Senate 399 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 3: Judiciary Committee on which I serve, five different bills have 400 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 3: passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I supported all 401 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 3: five of them. They're all designed to enhance the protection 402 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 3: for kids online. They passed with big bipartisan support, but 403 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 3: to date none of them have gotten a vote on 404 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 3: the Senate floor. In the Senate Commerce Committee, as you know, 405 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 3: I am the ranking member on the Senate Commerce Committee, 406 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 3: which means I'm the senior Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee. 407 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,400 Speaker 3: We have passed several bills out of the Senate Commerce 408 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 3: Committee aimed at the same thing, at protecting kids online, 409 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 3: and again they passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. None has 410 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 3: gotten a vote on the Senate floor. And I don't 411 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 3: think it is coincidental that big tech are massive financial 412 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 3: supporters of Democrats in the twenty sixteen election. Do you 413 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 3: know who who the employer was whose employees gave the 414 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 3: most money to Hillary Clinton in twenty sixteen. 415 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 2: I'm gonna guess it was either at the time Twitter 416 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 2: or it was Facebook. 417 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 3: Nope, neither one. 418 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: Google. Wow. 419 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 3: Google was the number one supporter of Hillary Clinton in 420 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 3: twenty sixteen. If you look at do you know who 421 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 3: the number one individual donors to Democrat causes was in 422 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 3: twenty twenty, the Biden election year? 423 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:44,159 Speaker 1: Who was it? 424 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 3: Mark Zuckerberg? The person I was questioning? And to give 425 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 3: you a sort of order of magnitude, So in the 426 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 3: twenty twenty cycle, the top Republican donor in the country 427 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 3: was Sheldon Aatilson. Sheldon Natilson owned casinos. I know Sheldon 428 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 3: very well. He was a good friend. Sadly Sheldon passed away, 429 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 3: but Sheldon gave in twenty twenty, roughly one hundred million 430 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 3: dollars supporting Republicans, biggest in the country. He gave a 431 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,400 Speaker 3: hundred million. How much do you think Mark Zuckerberg gave 432 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:15,719 Speaker 3: same election cycle. 433 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to guess a lot more than that, based 434 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 1: on the way that you teed that up. 435 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 3: Four hundred million dollars. Grief, four hundred million dollars, and 436 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 3: understand what Zuckerberg did. He did something that were called Zuckbucks. 437 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 3: He paid four hundred million dollars to literally take over 438 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 3: the election machinery, the apparatus in big blue cities in 439 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 3: purple states. It was designed to dramatically increase Democrat turnout 440 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 3: to give the victory to Joe Biden. And there is 441 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 3: a very real case to be made that Joe Biden 442 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 3: is president today because of Mark Zuckerberg, that without Zuckerberg's 443 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 3: four hundred billion dollars, Donald Trump would be in the 444 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 3: White House. 445 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:08,359 Speaker 2: And yet was he also buying the guarantee of no 446 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 2: oversight or fake oversight so you could maximize profits doing 447 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:14,959 Speaker 2: some of the things that you exposed today. 448 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:20,159 Speaker 3: Look, I think that is an obvious inference, and it's 449 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 3: very reasonable to ask, why will Chuck Schumer not bring 450 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 3: any of these bills to the Senate floor. And I 451 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 3: think the answer is, if you've got the major funders 452 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,880 Speaker 3: of the Democrat Party there, they don't want to provide oversight. 453 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 3: You've got Democrats who will posture in hearings. So we 454 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 3: had lots of Democrats make lots of noise get asking 455 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 3: what seemed to be tough questions, although actually, oddly enough, 456 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 3: this was a strange hearing and that many of the senators, 457 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 3: most of the Democrats, didn't ask questions, Like we all 458 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:55,200 Speaker 3: had seven minutes in our rounds. Most of the Democrats 459 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 3: just gave a seven minute speech, and they gave a 460 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 3: seven minute speech about how kids are really nice, and 461 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 3: I like kids, you know, puppy dogs are cool too, 462 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 3: and rainbows are okay. But they didn't actually ask very 463 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 3: many questions of the witnesses, which is just weird. 464 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:12,920 Speaker 2: So this is almost an essence of dog and pony 465 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 2: show for the left. Hey, we're gonna bring you in. 466 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 2: We're gonna maybe let them rough you up a little bit, 467 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,440 Speaker 2: but don't worry, there'll be no legislation that's going to 468 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 2: really changing things. 469 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: So your good. 470 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 3: Well, look, we'll see, as I said, Judiciaries passed five bills. 471 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 3: Commerce has passed several bills. All of them are hitting 472 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 3: a roadblock with Charles Schumer and Schumer I think feels 473 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 3: no pressure to do anything. 474 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 2: It's a new year, twenty twenty four and a lot 475 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,120 Speaker 2: of you are trying to get your finances in order. 476 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,439 Speaker 2: There are some great news for homeowners. Interest rates have 477 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,439 Speaker 2: dropped are now in the fives, a lot lower than 478 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 2: they were last year. If you have been buried in 479 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,399 Speaker 2: high interest credit card debt and now's the time to 480 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 2: break free, American Financing can help you access the cash 481 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,120 Speaker 2: in your home to pay off your high interest debt. 482 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 2: Last year, their salary based mortgage consultants help customers save 483 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 2: an average of eight hundred and fifty four dollars a month. 484 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 2: That's like giving yourself a ten thousand dollars raise. What 485 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 2: a way to start the new year. And if you 486 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 2: start today, you may be able to delay two mortgage payments. 487 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 2: Call American Financing Today eight at eight six seven five 488 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:25,680 Speaker 2: forty ninety. That's eight eight eight six seven five forty ninety. 489 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 2: Americanfinancing dot net in MLS eighteen twenty three thirty four 490 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 2: in the MLS Consumer Access dot org. APR for rates 491 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:38,919 Speaker 2: in the five start at six point four zero six percent. 492 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 2: For well qualified borrowers call eight at eight six seven 493 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 2: five forty ninety for details about credit costs and terms. 494 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 2: I want to move also to another important issue, and 495 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 2: this is one that's starting to pick up some steam here. 496 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 2: It deals with liquid natural gas and these ports that 497 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:01,919 Speaker 2: have basically been stopped out of nowhere. And the alibi 498 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 2: for the Biden White House is we met shocking enough 499 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 2: with a twenty five year old TikToker that really explained 500 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 2: to us the environmental problem. So we're going to study 501 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 2: the environmental problems with liquifiedinancial gas and it may take 502 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 2: over a year, it will certainly be after the election. 503 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 2: If we were to turn these back on, it's going 504 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 2: to have a massive impact on Texas. But the timing 505 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,479 Speaker 2: of it center is the part that's so suspect. It 506 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 2: was right after Texas and the Supreme Court ruling came 507 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 2: down that said that, hey, the federal government can get 508 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 2: through your razor wire. The ruling also, as we talked 509 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 2: about extensively on the show, it didn't say you had 510 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 2: to stop putting down razor wire, and it didn't say 511 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 2: to Texas. 512 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 1: You have to pick it up. 513 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 2: And it was almost like the White House said okay, well, 514 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 2: if you're going to mess with us, And then twenty 515 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 2: five other governors got involved and said, hey, we're going 516 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 2: to send troopers at state troopers and our guardsmen, national 517 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 2: guardsmen to help in Texas. What did a shout across 518 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 2: about Texas with US out of nowhere plan of theirs 519 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 2: that was like, hey, we're basically going to put sanctions 520 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 2: on you guys, because you need to get in line. 521 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: In any other state that talping you, you could be next. 522 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, and yes. So what happened was last week 523 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 3: the Biden administration announced that it was halting new permits 524 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:23,959 Speaker 3: for the export of liquid natural gas and for export 525 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 3: terminal projects to export liquid natural gas. Now what does 526 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 3: that mean? It means three things. Number One, what Joe 527 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 3: Biden did is effectively sanctioned the state of Texas. This 528 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 3: is declaring war on Texas. And I think you're exactly right. 529 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,479 Speaker 3: He did it because he's pissed off that Texas is 530 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 3: standing up to the Biden administration on the border, is 531 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 3: fighting to secure the border. And he said, all right, 532 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 3: if you're going to stand up and fight us. We're 533 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 3: going to attack you and try to destroy jobs in 534 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 3: the state of Texas. This was very deliberate, a sanction 535 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 3: on the great state of Texas. Number two, this is 536 00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 3: a fine on American families. Joe Biden said, hardworking families. 537 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 3: I don't care about Americans. I'm going to punish you 538 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 3: by driving up energy costs. And number three, this announcement 539 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 3: is a subsidy for Vladimir Putin. Understand this announcement is 540 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 3: Joe Biden saying, I am going to give billions of 541 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:25,920 Speaker 3: dollars to Putin and Russia. Why because look, our allies, Europe, Asia, 542 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 3: they need natural gas. Natural gas it's produced in a 543 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 3: gases form and then it's liquefied to be transported, typically 544 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 3: on ships. Natural gas is incredibly important for heating for 545 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 3: power for all of the world, and Europe imports a 546 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,800 Speaker 3: ton of natural gas. Asia imports a ton of natural gas. 547 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 3: The largest producer of natural gas in the world is 548 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 3: the United States of America. Now Russia is a massive 549 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 3: producer of natural gas as well. When Joe Biden says 550 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 3: we're going to halt new export terminals for natural gas, 551 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 3: he is handing a gift to Vladimir Pudin, because the 552 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 3: Europeans are not going to suddenly not heat their homes. 553 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 3: They're not gonna say, okay, we're gonna freeze to death 554 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:22,120 Speaker 3: because Joe Biden's mad. No, They're going to get the 555 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 3: gas somewhere. And if they don't get it from the US, 556 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 3: they're much much more likely to get it from Russia. 557 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 3: So this is a gift to Russia. And here's the 558 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 3: final amazing thing. You know what this decision also does. 559 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:35,880 Speaker 3: What is that hurts the environment? 560 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 2: You explain it, because this is the amo that everybody 561 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:41,960 Speaker 2: listening needs. 562 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 3: It is critically important. And I'll say twofold number one. 563 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 3: US natural gas is produced much much more cleanly than 564 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 3: natural gas virtually anywhere else on Earth, much much more 565 00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 3: cleanly than Russian natural gas. So if you want less 566 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 3: pollution in the air, if you want less carbon in 567 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 3: the air, you want to consume US natural gas because 568 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:10,479 Speaker 3: we have significant environmental protections on how we produce it 569 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 3: here there they don't. So what Joe Biden is saying is, hey, 570 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 3: let's rely more on the Russians. Let's have them produce 571 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 3: more gas, Let's have them pollute the environment even more. 572 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 3: And by the way, if you notice the atmosphere, it 573 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 3: doesn't stop a country's border, like the atmosphere goes all 574 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 3: around the planet. So do you know who the biggest 575 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 3: polluter on the face of the planet is. I'm going 576 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 3: to go with either China or Russia. That's my best gas. 577 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 3: When it comes to this, China, by a huge order 578 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 3: of magnitude, China is massively the biggest polluter on the 579 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 3: face of the planet. China is also building more coal 580 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 3: plants right now than the United States has in the 581 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 3: entirety of our country. They're building new coal plants that 582 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 3: exceed the total coal plants in America. Now, why does 583 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 3: that matter? If you care about the environment, if you 584 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 3: care about pollution, if you care about carbon which country, 585 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 3: year after year after year has led the world in 586 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 3: reduction of carbon emissions? 587 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 1: America? Why? Because? 588 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:15,720 Speaker 2: Well, I think when we have tons of regulation, do 589 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 2: we actually care about the environment? 590 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 3: Both true, but that's not Neither of those are Why 591 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 3: what is it? 592 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 1: Then? 593 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 3: The biggest reason is the wide scale substitution of natural 594 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:33,240 Speaker 3: gas for coal and electricity production. So you want to 595 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 3: talk about what really pollutes the hell out of the environment, 596 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 3: it's burning coal in power plants to turn on electricity. 597 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 3: You know, it's interesting. A lot of liberals they think, 598 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 3: you know, they think, oh, I've got an electric car. 599 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 3: I've got a fancy electric car. Isn't that great? And 600 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 3: it never occurs to them. Where does that electricity come from? Well, like, well, 601 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 3: it comes from the wall. I plug it in and 602 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 3: it just magically spews from the wall. 603 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. 604 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:58,560 Speaker 3: Well, well no, that electricity has to be generated, has 605 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 3: to be generated in a power plant. Now how is 606 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:06,160 Speaker 3: it generated? For years, the predominant method of generating electricity 607 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 3: was burning coal. The United States has a ton of coal. 608 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:13,440 Speaker 3: We're essentially the Saudi Arabia of coal. The problem is, 609 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 3: when you burn coal, it pollutes a lot and it 610 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:21,360 Speaker 3: emits a ton of carbon. Now, what we have seen 611 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,759 Speaker 3: in the last decade, because of the shale revolution, so 612 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 3: the shale revolution shale and it's also the fracking revolution, 613 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 3: we have unlocked massive reserves of natural gas. And what 614 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 3: that has done in the United States is we have 615 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 3: seen tons of coal electricity plants shutting down and being 616 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 3: replaced with natural gas electricity plants. Why does that matter 617 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:54,240 Speaker 3: because a natural gas electricity plant emits much, much, much 618 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 3: less pollution than a coal plant, and it emits much much, 619 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 3: much less carbon than a coal plant, and that is 620 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:07,480 Speaker 3: why America leads the world in carbon reductions. At the 621 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:11,240 Speaker 3: same time we're doing this, China is building coal plants 622 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:15,040 Speaker 3: like crazy. And so when Joe Biden steps in and 623 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 3: says we want to stop America from selling natural gas 624 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 3: to the world, he is a saying, by your natural 625 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 3: gas from Russia, from Iran, from Venezuela, from enemies of 626 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 3: America run by dictators who are very dangerous. Number one. 627 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 3: But number two, he's also saying, producer electricity from coal, 628 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 3: which pollutes the environment much much more. Understand if all 629 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 3: you cared about was the environment, Joe Biden's announcement this 630 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:49,839 Speaker 3: past week was horrible for the environment, and he did it. 631 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 3: I think you're exactly right. As a petulant attack on Texas. 632 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:56,880 Speaker 3: He's mad that Texas is fighting to secure the border, 633 00:35:57,160 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 3: and he said, all right, I'm going to destroy jobs 634 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:00,000 Speaker 3: in the great state of time. 635 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:03,440 Speaker 2: Last question on this, and I think it's interesting to 636 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 2: see that this could backfire in a big way. The 637 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 2: Washington Post, the liberal, hardcore socialist Washington Post, put out 638 00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:14,879 Speaker 2: an opinion piece by the editorial board saying Biden's it's 639 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:18,560 Speaker 2: their headline, Biden's liquid natural gas decision is a win 640 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 2: for political symbolism, not the climate. They're even calling him 641 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:28,359 Speaker 2: out for. This was petty and obviously a decision made 642 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:31,920 Speaker 2: to hurt Texas and they can cost seventy thousand Americans 643 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:34,799 Speaker 2: or jobs and doing it for these other reasons. And 644 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:36,880 Speaker 2: by the way, saying it's not about the climate. 645 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:40,920 Speaker 3: No, that's exactly right. Here's what the Washington Post editorial 646 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:44,920 Speaker 3: board said. Quote on Friday. However, that same Biden administration 647 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:47,799 Speaker 3: ordered a de facto halt so the approval of new 648 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:51,600 Speaker 3: facilities for exporting the resources to countries with which the 649 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:55,200 Speaker 3: United States does not have free trade agreements, a category 650 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 3: that includes all of Europe. So, by the way, this 651 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 3: is also a sanction on Europe. It's an election year 652 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 3: sop to climate activists that will do much more to 653 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:11,759 Speaker 3: unsettle vital US alliances than to save the planet. That's 654 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:17,359 Speaker 3: a quote from the Washington Post. That's how far out 655 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:20,239 Speaker 3: of the bounds of reasonableness when your two left wing 656 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 3: for the Washington Post. Well, that's got to be the 657 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 3: Biden administration, no doubt about it. 658 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:26,920 Speaker 2: Don't forget we do this show Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and 659 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:30,400 Speaker 2: on Saturdays we do a week in review for you 660 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:32,560 Speaker 2: as well for what you may have missed during the week. 661 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 2: Make sure you hit that subscribe or follow button if 662 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:39,160 Speaker 2: you especially if you're listening on Apple. They've changed their 663 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 2: algorithms and many people have said, Hey, I'm not following 664 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:43,560 Speaker 2: the show anymore. You're gonna have to check and make 665 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:46,080 Speaker 2: sure you're following on a regular basis from now on. 666 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 2: That's what we've been told anyway, if it changes, will 667 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:50,760 Speaker 2: let you know. Don't forget, write that five sir review 668 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:52,319 Speaker 2: and the center and I will see you back here 669 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:56,840 Speaker 2: for the big week in review on Saturday morning as well.