Perspectives: AOC Says Congress Looking For Ways to Combat Misinformation, 'Rein In' Media

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said in an Instagram Live stream on Tuesday that Congress was looking into "media literacy" initiatives after last week's Capitol attack was purportedly sparked through misinformation online. "[Congress] is going to have to figure out how we rein in our media environment so that you can't just spew disinformation and misinformation," Ocasio-Cortez said. "It's one thing to have differing opinions, but it's another thing entirely to just say things that are false." Ocasio-Cortez's remarks were in response to a question about potential “truth and reconciliation or media literacy initiatives” to help the country move forward after growing polarization. The details of the initiatives Congress discussed were not revealed, although Ocasio-Cortez said a commission was in talks that "seems to be more investigatory in style rather than truth and reconciliation." This comes after many Big Tech companies banned President Donald Trump from their platforms for "inciting violence" after last week's Capitol breach. Some voices from the left pointed to data showing the need for media literacy, and highlighted examples of misinformation in media. Voices from the right tended to frame Ocasio-Cortez's remarks as "suggesting a role for the government to regulate the media's speech"; other voices from the right also highlighted the fact that Ocasio-Cortez's remarks about "reining in our media" goes a step further than just "media literacy" initiatives.