>> Rooney: I'M EMILY ROONEY.

WELCOME TO "BEAT THE PRESS."

OUR TOPICS: "ATLANTIC" MAGAZINE HAS PEOPLE TALKING WITH ITS CLAIM THAT LIBERALS ARE CLINGING TO COVID NORMS NO LONGER NEEDED; THE "WASHINGTON POST" ISSUES NEW GUIDELINES FOR WHAT TYPES OF RALLIES REPORTERS CAN ATTEND; AND FACEBOOK'S BAN ON TRUMP CONTINUES, BUT THE COMPANY GETS TAKEN TO THE WOODSHED BY ITS OVERSIGHT BOARD.

PLUS, OUR PANEL'S RANTS AND RAVES OF THE WEEK.

JOINING ME ARE: GBH EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, DAN LOTHIAN; MEDIA STRATEGIST, SUSIE BANIKARIM; ADAM REILLY OF GBH NEWS; AND NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY'S DAN KENNEDY.

>> Rooney: FIRST UP, A STORY IN THE MOST RECENT EDITION OF THE "ATLANTIC" GOT A LOT OF LOCAL TRACTION.

IT LOOKS AT THE BEHAVIOR OF LIBERALS AS PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS EASE AND HOW THEY ARE LOATHE TO GIVE UP OLD PRACTICES.

AND THE PRIMARY EXHIBITS?

THE LIBERAL BASTIONS OF SOMERVILLE AND BROOKLINE.

SO HERE'S THE GIST: PROGRESSIVES IN PLACES LIKE SOMERVILLE AND BROOKLINE BRAGGED ABOUT FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE WHEN IT CAME TO COVID BEHAVIOR EARLY ON, BUT NOW THAT SCIENCE SUPPORTS CHANGING THAT BEHAVIOR, THEY ARE LOCKED INTO OLD WAYS OR, BASICALLY VIRTUE SIGNALING.

ONE SUCH PROGRESSIVE FEATURED IN THE STORY, P.R.

CONSULTANT ALEX GOLDSTEIN, WHO IS STILL AVOIDING MOST NORMAL ACTIVITY.

>> I THINK THAT THE ACTUAL PREMISE THAT THE THERE ARE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE THAT MIGHT GO BEYOND WHAT THE SCIENCE AND THE C.D.C.

IS TELLING US, LIKE, THAT'S A SCIENCE AND THE C.D.C.

IS TELLING US, LIKE, THAT'S A LEGITIMATE STORY.

>> Rooney: BUT GOLDSTEIN DISPUTES THE PREMISE OF THE STORY, SAYING HIS BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN BASED ON WHAT HE FEELS IS >> I THINK THE PRIMARY POINTS THAT I WAS MAKING ABOUT IT WAS THAT IT ACTUALLY ISN'T MY POLITICAL IDENTITY.

THAT'S MY NUMBER ONE MOTIVATOR FOR WHY I'VE MADE THE DECISIONS THAT I HAVE.

AND CERTAINLY NOT THE REASON THAT MY TEAM WASN'T PLAYING, WASN'T BECAUSE OF SOME DEEP SEATED POLITICAL IDENTITY, IS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SAFE YET.

>> Rooney: BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE NOTION THAT LIBERALS ARE SOMEHOW HANGING ON TO OLD NORMS AS A POLITICAL STATEMENT GOT PEOPLE THINKING.

>> Rooney: THE "GLOBE" PICKED UP THE STORY FROM THE "ATLANTIC," AND HUNDREDS OF COMMENTERS FOLLOWED.

SO WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS STORY?

>> WELL, I THINK PART OF IT IS THAT NO MATTER WHERE YOU FALL IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF IN IT BECAUSE YOU JUST LIVED THROUGH IT, RIGHT?

AND SO YOU EVERYONE SITTING >> Rooney: AND ONE MORE POINT GOLDSTEIN MAKES, FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE IN THE BEGINNING MADE SENSE.

BUT WHAT'’S WRONG WITH NOT FOLLOWING IT NOW?

>> I AM NOT TOTALLY SURE I CAN WRAP MY ARMS AROUND HOW MY PERSONAL DECISION TO KEEP A MASK ON IF I WANTED TO IS GOING TO HARM PEOPLE AROUND ME.

>> Rooney: TRUE, BUT DON'’T LET COMMON SENSE GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD OLD LIBERAL-BASHING STORY.

YOU ARE A SELF-DESCRIBED LIBERALK I'M WONDER WHAT THE REASON THIS CAUGHT FIRE, IS IT BECAUSE THERE I S A SLED OF TRUTH TO IT OR SOMEBODY DARE TAKE ON LIBERALS IN THE BLUEST STATE IN AMERICA, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON IT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A SHRED OF TRUTH TO IT.

I WROTE MY GBH NEWS COLUME THIS WEEK ON BASICALLY THE THEME OF THE END OF THE PANDEMIC IS IN SIGHT, LET'S CELEBRATE.

AND I GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM MY FELLOW LIBERALSK SOME WHO SOUND LIKE THEY WANT TO WEAR MASKS THROUGH THE REST OF THE DECADE.

BUT I DO THINK THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF EMMA GREEN AT THE ATLANTIC STARTING WITH THE PREMISE AND THEN GOING OUT TO LOOK FOR EVIDENCE OF IT.

AND NOT REALLY FINDING ALL THAT MUCH.

BUT IT WAS STILL A GREAT TALKER.

AND SOME TIMES THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR.

YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, THE ATLANTIC IS A TERRIFIC MAGAZINE BUT THEY ALSO RUN A LOT OF CLICK BATHE, THIS ARTICLE WAS KIND OF CLICK BATHING ROOZ GOT ME.

>> IT GOT ME TOO.

>> I DO AGREE THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY MORE ABOUT GETTING CLICKED, GETTING READERS THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

YOU KNOW, WELL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC CAME ALONG, IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THAT THE WHOLE ISSUE OF WEARING A MASK, WHEN NOT TO WEAR A MASK WOULD BECOME SOMETHING THAT IS QUITE POLITICAL, I WOULD HAVE BEEN STUNNED.

HOW COULD THE HOW IN THE WORLD COULD A MASK RISE TO THAT LEVEL.

WELL, WE KNOW ANY TIME YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF CONVERSATION AROUND WEARING A MASSING, BEING A LIBERAL, BEING A CONSERVATIVE, IT GETS A WHOLE LOT OF ATTENTION.

SO LOOK, I HAVE TO THINK THAT WHEN THEY WERE SITTING AROUND WITH THIS WHOLE NOTION OF LET'S GO OUT, AS DAN WAS SUGGESTIONING, AND FIND OR CONFIRM THIS STORY, IT WAS A GIVEN THAT IT WOULD GET THIS KIND OF ATTENTION.

YOU PUT POLITICS AND MASKING TO, NO MATTER WHETHER IF IS LIBERALS OR CONSERVATIVES, TURNS EVIDENCE INTO A STORY EVERYONE WILL PICK UP.

I THINK THE THING IS THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT FEELS TRUE, BUT THE REPORTING DOESN'T BEAR IT OUT REPORT ON THIS IS SO THIN.

SHE USES AN EXAMPLE FROM SOMERVILLE, SHE IS COMPLAINING, A LOT OF THINGS LIKE MASK WEARING AND GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.

THIS WAS LIKE A THIN PIECE THAT DIDN'T REALLY HIT THE MARK.

BUT THEY WENT AHEAD WITH IT BECAUSE THEY KNEW IT WAS KIND OF CONTROVERSIAL.

LET'S ALSO JUST BE HONEST.

THIS ISN'T REALLY-- I DON'T THINK IT IS REALLY A POLITICAL IDENTITY ISSUE.

IF ARE YOU SOMEONE WITHOUT TOOK THE PANDEMIC SERIOUSLY, AND YOU, YOU ARE A PERSON OF COLOR WHO LIVES IN A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU SAW ALL OF THESE PEOPLE AROUND YOU DYING, YOU HAVE TRAUMA AND PTSD, ARE YOU STILL WORKING THROUGH, YOU MAY JUST HAVE A BIT MORE ANXIETY ABOUT THIS THAN SOMEONE THAT DIDN'T TAKE THE PANDEMIC SERIOUSLY AND WENT ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, SO IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES AS IF NOTHING WAS GOING ON, HAVE EMBRACED SCIENCE BY CONTINUING TO GO TO PARTIES.

IT IS JUST THAT IF YOU DIDN'T DO THOSE THINGS, NOW YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST ANOTHER TIME TO YOUR REALITY.

AND THAT JUST TAKES TIME FOR PEOPLE WHO, LISTEN MAN, WE LOST HALF A MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY.

THERE IS REAL STUFF TO WORK THROUGH HERE.

>> I AM A BIG FAN OF EMMA GREEN'S RELIGION REPORTING.

I THINK SHE DOES A GREAT JOB ON THAT, ON PUSHING STUFF OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

I WOULD SAY THIS IS NOT ONE OF HER BETTER PIECES OF WORK.

SHE QUOTES AN EXPERT IN THE PIECE WHO-- A PURPORTED EXPERT WHO SAYS THAT THAT PEOPLE ARE SLOW TO TAKE OFF THEIR MASS BE-- WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT IS NONSENSE KAL, YOU THINK ABOUT THE TIME LINE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD VACCINE LONG BEFORE RELAXATION WAS RESTRICTED.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT GOT PAST THE EDITOR NOR DO I KNOW HOW THE SUGGESTION THAT ALEX GOLDSTEIN IS NOT ACCEPTING SCIENCE BECAUSE HE'S NOT COMFORTABLE STARTING TO PLAY RUGBY YET GOT PASSED AN EDITOR.

THAT IS CARELY IN KEEPING WITH ALL THE SCIENCE THAT WE HAVE HEARD OVER THE PAST YEAR PLUS ABOUT COVID, THE SORT OF THING YOU WANT TO AVOID.

THIS IS A, I THINK, A LEGITIMATE SUBJECT OF INQUIRE WREE, PEOPLE'S DEFICIT, CHALLENGES, LEAVING COVID BEHIND IT AND WE MOVE OUT OF IT.

THANK GOD WE ARE MOVING OUT OF IT.

I WISH THE ATLANTIC INSTITUTION HAD DONE A BETTER JOB AND TAKEN IT MORE SERIOUSLY ROOZ THEY KIND OF RUSHED IT, IT WASN'T A LENGTHY PIECE AND ALEX GOLDSTEIN TOLD ME THAT INTERVIEW WAS A MONTH AGO IT WASN'T EVEN REALLY UP TO DATE BECAUSE HE TOLD ME HIS RUGBY TEAM WAS ABOUT TO START PLAYING BUT THEY WEREN'T VACCINATED A MONTH AGO.

>> THAT IS ANOTHER CRUCIAL POINT.

MI SO GLAD SUSIE BROUGHT UP THE HUMAN TOLL OF COVID, REMINDING HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED.

BUT ALSO I'M NOT FULLY VACCINATED YET.

I GET MY SECOND DOSE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND I WILL BE A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE DOING THINGS I HAVEN'T BEEN DOING ONCE THAT IS TAKEN CARE OF.

YOU ARE RIGHT, THEY JUMPED THE GUN HERE BECAUSE AS EVERYONE HAS SAID, THEY SENSED AN OPPORTUNITY ROOZ I WANT TO MEX THAT ALEX GOLDSTEIN IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT UNBELIEVABLE THEORY, DONE PROFILE ON MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE IT IS CALLED FACES OF COVID AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, IT IS REALLY TERRIFIC.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, IT USED TO BE SOMETHING MOST JOIRNLISTS TOOK FOR GRANTED.

IF YOU HAVE AN OPINION, YOU KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.

AND DON'T SHOW UP AT RALLIES OR POLITICAL EVENTS UNLESS YOU ARE COVERING THEM.

BUT NOW AS JOURNALISTIC OBJECTIVITY GETS A RETHINK, "THE WASHINGTON POST" ISSUED GUIDE LINES LETTING REPORTERS KNOW WHAT THEIR PARTICIPATION AND WHAT IS NOT.

ADAM HAS MORE.

A NEW MEMO MAKES IT SOUND SIMPLE, AS IT IS OKAY FOR POST EMPLOYEES TO PEACH IN CELEBRATORY PARADES OR FESTIVALS BUT NOT IN EVENTS THAT ARE PARTISAN OR POLITICAL.

ON CLOSER EXAMINATION, THOUGH, IT'’S NOT SIMPLE AT ALL.

FOR EXAMPLE, "POST" MANAGEMENT SAYS STAFF CAN ATTEND JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS, BECAUSE THEY ARE "NON-POLITICAL," EVEN THOUGH THE HOLIDAY FIGURES PROMINENTLY IN DEBATES OVER RACIAL RECKONING.

AS SLAVES FINDING OUT ON THIS DAY 155 YEARS AGO THAT THEY WERE FINALLY FREE.

>> Reporter: ALSO GETTING THE GREEN LIGHT AS "NON-POLITICAL": PRIDE CELEBRATIONS, WHOSE CORE PREMISE IS PRETTY POLITICAL, TOO.

WE COULD NOT EVEN HOLD HANDS IN PUBLIC, LET ALONE CONSIDER GETTING MARRIED.

>> Reporter: THE MEMO ALSO SAYS THAT WHILE ATTENDING A "CELEBRATION" ON D.C.'’s BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA IS ACCEPTABLE, ATTENDING A "PROTEST" THERE ISN'’T.

WHICH IS ODD, SINCE THE AREA'’S NAME IS AN ACT OF PROTEST IN AND OF ITSELF.

TODAY TO MAKING SURE OUR NATION IS MORE FAIR AND MORE JUST.

>> Reporter: THE BIG PROBLEM FOR THE "POST" IS THAT THERE'’S NO SAFE, APOLITICAL SPACE IN LIFE, FOR JOURNALISTS, OR ANYONE ELSE.

TRY TO CREATE ONE, AND PEOPLE MAY WONDER IF YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND "POLITICS" AT ALL.

ROOZ THIS IS A TOUGH ONE, NEW ROOMS ALL OVER AMERICA HAVE HAD TO DO THIS BECAUSE THINGS CHANGED SO DRAMICALLY, OPINION JOURNALISM HAS REALLY REPLACED STRAIGHT FORWARD JOURNALISM ALMOST EVERYWHERE, SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OFFERING AN OPINION AND PARTICIPATING IN SOMETHING THAT HAS A POLITICAL BENT.

I MEAN I KNOW OUR ORGANIZATION HAS TRIED TO ADDRESS THIS.

I'M SURE-- I I COMMEND THEM FOR TRYING, WHAT WOULD YOU DO INSTEAD?

>> YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM LIMITED TO THE POST.

WE'RE PICKING ON THEM BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE DETAILS TO GRAPPLE WITH THIS CAME OUT PUBLICLY IN THE WAY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVEN'T.

I THINK THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN GO.

I WOULD NOT FAULT ANY NEWS ORGANIZATION THAT SAID TO ITS EMPLOYEES, YOU'RE EXPECTED TO BE SEEN AS A CRITICAL, CRITICAL, FAIR, DETACHED CHRONICLER OF PUBLIC EVENTS IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY PUBLIC DISPLAYS AT ALL, PERIOD.

I THINK THAT WOULD FRUSTRATE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

IT WOULD BE CONSISTENT.

YOU CAN GO THE OTHER ROUTE TOO AND SAY TO YOUR EMPLOYEES, BEAR IN MIND THAT ANYTHING YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE OUT IN PUBLIC COULD RESULT IN PEOPLE BEING LESS INCLINED TO ACCEPT YOUR REPORTING WHICH IS YOUR PROFESSION, THAT BEING SAID, YOU'RE ADULTS THINK THIS THROUGH AND BE CAREFUL THE PROBLEM IS THEY TRIED TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.

THEY TRIED TO SAY YOU CAN TIP TOE UP A CERTAIN LINE AND COMPLETELY SAFE BUT WHEN YOU GO PAST THAT LINE, WHEN YOU GO FROM CELEBRATIONS TO DEMONSTRATIONS, YOU GO ON FROM THE REALM OF THE APOLITICAL TO THE POLITICAL.

AND AS SOON AS YOU START TO KICK THE FIRES ON THAT IT IS A NONSENSE KAL PREMISEMENT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO IF I RAN A NEWSROOM, I WOULDN'T DO WHAT THE POST DID.

>> I MEAN LOOKINGS I'M INCREDIBLY SIM PATHETIC TO THIS AS SOMEONE WHO DID RUN A NEWSROOM BUT IS ASKING PEOPLE, BLACK JOURNALISTS TO GO OUT AND COVER DEMONSTRATIONS ABOUT HOW THEY DISPTD HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST, LIKE WHITE SUPREMACY RALLIES, SO LOOK, I THINK IT IS A REALLY COMPLICATED ISSUE.

IT JUST FEELS LIKE THEY MISSED THE MARK HERE AS WES LOWRIE SAID ON TWITTER, TO SAY A PRIDE DEMONSTRATION IS NOT POLITICAL IS A-- STANDS, IF YOU ARE BLACK, ASIAN, LGBQI IN THIS COUNTRY, AND YOU CELEBRATE PRIDE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU GOING TO A PROTEST ARE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU GOING TO A CELEBRATION, RIGHT.

SO THAT IS NOT, IT SORT OF FEELS LIKE THIS POLICY IS ABOUT OPTICS AND NOT REALITY.

THERE ARE REAL CONVERSATIONS WHICH REALLY FRANKLY WES LAWYERRY KICKED OFF AT THE POST ABOUT HOW WE DE FINE OBJECTIVITY IN A TIME WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO BE HONEST ABOUT THEIR IDENTITIES AND CAN EMBRACE FAIRNESS AND TRUTH BUT ALSO DON'T HAVE TO DENY THEIR BASIC HUMANITY.

AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE JUST MUCH MORE NEWANCED THAN THIS POLICY I THINK ALLOWS FOR.

>> THIS IS A QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED, YOU KNOW, FIVE, TEN, CERTAINLY 15 AND 20 YEARS AGO IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR CUT.

IF YOU WERE A REPORTER, YOU WEREN'T INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF ACTIVITIES, POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, PROTESTS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BECAUSE IT WOULD, IT COULD BE SEEN AS SOME KIND OF BIAS IF YOU WERE COVERING THOSE STORIES, IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR CUT IN THE PAST.

AND I THINK NOW YOU CAN'T REALLY COME UP WITH A REAL SORT OF UNIVERSAL POLICY.

I THINK IT REALLY HAS TO BE CASE BY CASE, WHERE NEWSROOMS HAVE TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT AND OPEN AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND ALL OF THE CASES, SO I KNOW IT BECOMES QUITE CONTROVERSIAL TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

BUT I THINK YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING IS HAPPENING AT THE TIME, ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, SOMETHING HAPPENING ON THE LOCAL LEVEL THAT NEWS DIRECTORS, NEWS MANAGERS HAVE TO STEP UP, AND SAY LETS HAVE A CONVERSATION.

HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THIS, AND IF YOU WILL BE PARTICIPATING, HOW WILL WE HANDLE THAT.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR NEWSROOMS NOT TO HAVE, PUT OUT JUST THE POLICY BUT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.

>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT THE "BOSTON GLOBE" PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING THAT THEIR REPORTERS COULD ATTEND BLACK LIVES MATTER DEMONSTRATIONS.

AND ALTHOUGH I THINK A LOT OF US WERE SURPRISED WHEN THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE TRADITIONAL ROLES THAT GOVERN US, WHICH ALL OF THE REST OF US HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED, I THINK IT MADE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SENSE.

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF ANYBODY THINKS THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER IS PART I SAN OR ANTIPOLICE, MAYBE THEY OUGHT TO THINK INSIDE THEMSELVES AS TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING WHEN THEY SAY THAT.

I THINK "THE WASHINGTON POST" GOT IT WRONG IN SOME WAYS.

BUT I DO THINK THAT SOME SORT OF A CASE BY CASE ANALYSIS IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY HERE.

I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN HAVE A BLANKET RULE SAYING ANYTHING GOES OR YOU CAN'T DO ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES.

I THINK THAT IT HAS TO BE NEWANCED.

IT HAS TO BE TAKEN AS WELL, IS THIS AN EXPRESSION OF IDENTITY OR IS IT AN EXPRESSION OF PURE POLITICS.

AND THE DECISION HAS TO BE MADE ON THAT BASIS ROOZ MAYBE THEY NEED TO BE ASKED PERMISSION EVERY TIME.

ALL RIGHT.

>> Rooney: THIS WEEK BOTH FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND FACEBOOK TOOK A SLAP DOWN FROM FACEBOOK'’S OWN OVERSIGHT BOARD.

WHILE TRUMP IS STILL FORMALLY BANNED FROM THE SITE, THE BOARD ALSO SAID FACEBOOK SHIRKED ITS DUTY.

>> Rooney: IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6th WHEN FACEBOOK BANISHED PRESIDENT TRUMP FROM ITS PLATFORM.

>> THIS IS STUNNING.

THIS IS HIS BABY.

>> Rooney: IT WAS, BUT CITING TRUMP'’S ROLE IN THE CAPITOL RIOT, FACEBOOK C.E.O.

MARK ZUCKERBERG SAID, "THE RISKS OF ALLOWING THE PRESIDENT TO CONTINUE TO USE OUR SERVICE AT THIS TIME ARE JUST TOO GREAT " THE BAN WAS INDEFINITE AND GOT SENT TO FACEBOOK'’S INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR REVIEW, WHICH ISSUED ITS RULING THIS WEEK.

>> THE BOARD HAS FOUND THAT THE SUSPENSION OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS NECESSARY TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

THAT THE ACTION OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT ENCOURAGED, LEGITIMIZED VIOLENCE AND CONSTITUTED WHAT THE BOARD HAS TERMED A SEVERE VIOLATION OF THE FACEBOOK RULES.

>> Rooney: HOWEVER, SAYS OVERSIGHT BOARD DIRECTOR THOMAS HUGHES, FACEBOOK WAS VAGUE AND ARBITRARY IN THE SUSPENSION.

>> IT NEEDS TO COME BACK AND IMPOSE A NEW PENALTY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH ITS OWN RULES.

>> Rooney: BUT, MOST ANALYSTS SAY, THE OUTCOME OF THE PERMANENT BAN IS UNCERTAIN.

>> SO, I WOULD NOT SAY AS OF NOW, THAT WE CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS BANNED FROM FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR LIFE >> Rooney: MEANWHILE, RALPH NADER'’S GROUP PUBLIC CITIZEN SENT A LETTER TO MARK ZUCKERBERG DEMANDING ANSWERS ABOUT "POLICIES, ALGORITHMS, AND TECHNICAL FEATURES" THAT SPURRED THOSE WHO TOOK PART IN THE CAPITOL INSURRECTION, SAYING, IT'’S FACEBOOK'’S "DUTY TO ANALYZE AND SHARE" THAT INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC.

I WAS TRUCK BY THE FACT THAT THIS OVERSIGHT BOARD WAS VERY SPECIFIC THAT DONE ALL TRUCH DID INCITE A RIOT AND THAT FURTHERED MORE THEY ARE TELLING FACEBOOK, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTIONING THEIR OWN OUTFIT SAYING WHY DIDN'T YOU FOLLOW YOUR OWN RULES AND POLICIES AND YOU HAVE SIX MONTHS TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

THEY CAN DO IT NEXT WEEK, THEY HAVE UP TO SIX MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF A FUNNISHMENT THEY SHOULD INSTITUTE, AND IT HAS TO BE ALONG THE LINES OF THEIR OWN POLICY.

>> THIS JUST GETS TO A CORE ISSUE ABOUT FACEBOOK, RIGHT T HAS EXTREMELY ARBITRARY RULES, NOBODY REALLY KNOWS WHAT THOSE RULES ARE, THEY ARE INCREDIBLY OPAQUE.

AND THEY SET UP THIS OVERSIGHT BORT TO LITERALLY DODGE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING TO MAKE THESE TOUGH DECISIONS.

AND THE OVERSIGHT BOARD TO THEIR CREDIT WAS LIKE THIS IS YOUR JOB, FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR ROLES ARE AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT YOU ADHERE TO THEM.

AND I THINK LOOK, I ACTUALLY DO THINK THAT DONALD TRUMP INCITED VIOLENCE, IT IS NOT REALLY A FREE SPEECH, YOU CAN GO INTO A MOVIE THEATER, DONALD TRUMP ESSENTIALLY SPENT MONTHS SCREAMING FIRE ON FACEBOOK AND PAID A PRICE FOR THAT.

IT IS HARDLY LIKE HE IS BEING CENSORED.

THE MAN STILL REQUEST:GO ON FOX NEWS LITERALLY AT THE DROP OF A HAT AND ACCESS HIS AUDIENCE ANY TIME HE WANTS.

I FEEL LIKE THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RED HERRING WHERE HE SPENT ALL WEEK SCREAMING THAT THIS IS CENSORSHIP BUT THE REALITY IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP TEN POSTS ON FACEBOOK ON ANY GIVEN WEEK STRKS BEN SCHAPIRO WHO IS A CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR T IS FOX NEWS T IS SEAN HANNITY, IT IS DAN WHO IS AN AGGRESSIVE TRUMPER.

90% OF THE POSTS ON FACEBOOK ARE ACTUALLY, TRUMP POSTS ARE CONSERVATIVE IT IS NOT LIKE FACEBOOK IS TRYING TO SHUT OUT CONSERVATIVE THOUGHTS.

THEY ARE JUST SAYING THERE ARE RULES HERE.

NOW THEY JUST HAVE TO MAKE THOSE RULES CLEARER.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE SAME WEEK THAT TRUMP SET UP A BLOG AND NO ONE IS SUGGESTING THAT HE CAN BE SENSE ERRED ON THE OPEN INTERNET, HE CAN'T.

NOR SHOULD HE BE.

SO IT IS KIND OF A RED HERRING.

>> I WANT TO PICK UP ON THE PUBLIC CITIZENS, IT REFLECTS RECORDING THAT WAS DONE BY-- STATE NEWS A FEW WEAKS AGO THAT SHOWED THAT FACEBOOK HAD DONE AN INTERNAL REPORT THAT THEY HAVEN'T RELEASED THAT SHOWS THAT SEVERAL OF THESE RIGHT WING INSURRECTIONIST GROUPS HAD MADE USE OF FACEBOOK AS THEIR PRINCIPAL ORGANIZING PLATFORM.

AND THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES COULDN'T GET A LOOK AT THIS REPORT.

SO BUZZFEED DID HAVE A COPY OF THE REPORT.

AND THEY POSTED THAT.

SO I MEAN FACEBOOK CONTINUES TO BE JUST AN ONGOING MESS.

AND WHAT THE OVERSIGHT BOARD DID WITH TRUMP THIS WEEK IS JUST A SMALL PART OF THAT STORY.

>> YEAH, I MEAN SOME OF OUR VIEWERS WILL REMEMBER AND AS YOU GUYS WILL PROBABLY REMEMBER, THE OLDER I GET THE MORE CYNICAL I AM ABOUT THE AFFECT THAT FACEBOOK HAS HAD ON AMERICAN CULTURE, AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

I THINK THEY ARE A HUGE PART OF A PROBLEM THAT WE'RE FACING, MOVING FORWARD.

SO THAT BEING SAID, FULL DIS CLOSURE, I JUST LOVE THE KARMIC ASPECT OF THIS.

I LOVE THE OVERSIGHT BOARD THAT MARK ZUCKERBERG PUT IN PLACE TO TRY TO DODGE RESPONSIBILITY AS HE TRIED TO DODGE RESPONSIBILITY, EVER SINCE HE SET UP A SITE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO LAST, HARVARD UNDERGRAND-- UNDERGRAD WHO THEY THOUGHT WAS CUTE.

HE HAS NEVER WANTED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

HE HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO PASS THE BUCK.

AND I JUST LOVE THAT THING HE CREATED HIMSELF, SAYING NO, THIS IS YOUR JOB.

SO I AM TAKING, AS YOU CAN TELL INORDINATE SATISFACTION IN THAT PLATFORM.

>> I THINK THE THING THAT FRUSTRATES ME WITH THIS STORY IS IS THAT THIS IS BMENT FACEBOOK TRYING TO SILENCE THE VOICES OF CONSERVATIVES.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT DONALD TRUMP DID, AND WHAT HE INCITED, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IS NOT SOMETHING ABOUT CONSERVATIVE OR LIBERAL, IT IS SOMEONE WHO JUST REALLY VIEW SCREWED UP.

IT IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT WELL BEYOND THE LINE AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS.

AND TO THE POINT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE, THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSERVATIVE VOICES THAT YOU CAN STILL HEAR, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE EXTREME, THAT YOU SEE ON FACEBOOK, JUST THIS WEEK AS I WAS GOING, YOU KNOW, THROUGH FACEBOOK LOOKING AT WHAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE WERE SAYING ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS, WHETHER YOU ARE WEARING MASKS, YOU STILL SEE VERY STRONG VOICES OUT THERE, EXTREME VOICE, IF YOU WILL, AGAIN I DON'T THINK THAT THIS-- THIS ISN'T ABOUT THAT, ST ABOUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT DONALD TRUMP WAS ABLE TO DO NOW I'M NOT DEFENDING FACEBOOK HERE, AS EVERYONE HAS POINTED OUT ALREADY.

FACEBOOK HAS MADE A LOT OF MISTAKES.

THEY'RE ALL SCREWED UP.

THEY CAN'T GET IT RIGHT, WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING TO CORRECT IT, THAT'S WRONG.

AND SO FACEBOOK, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THE LAST OF THIS IN TERMS OF HOW FACEBOOK NEEDS TO FIX ITSELF.

BUT I THINK REPUBLICANS ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION WHEN THEY CRITICIZE THIS ROOZ BILLIONS OF PEOPLE STILL LIKE TO PUT THEIR BIRD PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK.

>> THEY STILL DO.

>> UNFORTUNATELY THEY ALSO LIKE TO READ Q A NON THERRY Z ROOZ YES, BIRDS AND Q A NON.

>> Rooney: TIME NOW FOR OUR RANTS AND RAVES, STARTING WITH ADAM.

HE.

>> HAVE I A RANT FROM FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS AND FOX NEWS WHO TOGETHER ORCHESTRATED FINDING SOME NEW LEGISLATION IN FLORIDA THAT WILL MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE.

THIS WAS AN EXCLUSIVE EVENT FROM WHICH THE LOCAL FLORIDA PRESS WAS EXCLUDED.

I THINK IT IS SHOCKING THAT RON DESANTIS DID THAT.

UNCONSCIONABLE.

BUT I ALSO THINK HE HAS HIS SORT OF TRUMP 2-- 2.0 PERSONA SHOCKING BUT NOT A SURPRISE.

I WE HAVE ALL BEEN LEER FOR A LONG TIME, WITH THIS SORT OF IDEA THAT THERE IS THE WACKY OPINION SIDE, BUT THEN THERE IS THE NEWS SIDE WHERE SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DO GOOD, HONEST WORK.

I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD MAKE US STICK A FORK IN THAT ONCE AND FOR ALL.

IF YOU ARE A NEWS ORGANIZATION, YOU DON'T WORK WITH SOMEONE TO KEEP OUT YOUR COLLEAGUES IN MEDIA ROOZ I WAS SURPRISED.

>> ON A HUGE BILL SIGNING LIKE THIS ONE ROOZ BECAUSE THEY HAVE BALANCEKED AT THAT BEFORE BECAUSE I'M SURPRISED THEY WENT ON WITH IT.

>> SIGN OF THE TIME.

>> SUSY.

>> THEY HAD ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE THIS WEEK, WHICH WAS THEY ANNOUNCED THAT DONALD TRUMP HAD LAUNCHED A PLATFORM TO SORT OF COMBAT HIS TWITTER AND FACEBOOK BAN BUT WHAT THEY MEANT WAS HE LAUNCHED A BLOG ON HIS OWN WEBSITE, THE IDEA THAT THIS WAS EXCLUSIVE OR A PLATFORM BOASTING OR EASILY FACT CHECKED BY FOX AND WEREN'T AND ALSO LET'S JUST ADMIT THAT IT RIDICULOUS THAT IT TOOK THEM FOUR MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT THEY COULD JUST POST THINGS ON THEIR OWN WEBSITE, LIKE WHAT TOOK THEM SO LONG TO LAUNCH THIS PLATFORM.

>> BY THE WAY, I WOULD SAY FOX WAS NOT THE ONLY MEDIA OUTLET, IT IS A NEW SOCIAL MEDIA SITE.

>> FUNDAMENTALS, THIS IS RELATIVELY UNIMPRESSIVE BLOG.

>> DAN.

>> OKAY.

I HAVE A REEF FOR PBS WHICH THIS WEEK NAMED THE YAMICHE ALCINDOR AS THE NEW HOST OF WASHINGTON WEEK.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT MOVE.

IT IS A NATURAL TRIBUTE TO ONE OF HER MENTORS, THE LATE G-WEN IFILL.

I REALLY HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HOW YAMICHE ALCINDOR AND LISA DESJARDINS MANAGED TO INJECT SOME BACKBONE INTO THE NEWSHOUR DURING THE TRUMP ERA.

AND IT WAS REALLY WELCOME.

AND I'M GLAD TO SEE ALCINDOR GETTING SOME REAL RECOGNITION FOR THIS.

AND THE OTHER THING, SHE'S ONLY 34 YEARS OLD.

>> OH MY GOODNESS.

>> SO SHE'S GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB ROOZ DAN LOTTED LOTHIAN.

>> SO I HAVE A RAVE FOR YOU TWO THAT WILL BE SPENDING $7 MILLION ON TWO JOURNALISM PROGRAMS.

THE FIRST ONE WILL BE AIMED ACCORDING TO AX, OS, WILL BE AIMED AT HELPING INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS BETTER PRODUCE VIDEOS.

AND SECOND COMPONENT OF THAT IS HELPING TO MAKE A BIG BUSINESS OUT OF IT, UNDERSTANDING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMON ENT OF BUILDING UP UP A YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

THE SECOND ONE WILL BE AIMED AT THE DIGITAL FIRST PLATFORMS TO HELP THEM PUT TOGETHER A REAL LASTING BUSINESS EFFORT, SO THEY CAN MAKE MONEY ON THEIR CHANNEL OVER THE LONG RUN.

SO 7 MILLION DOLLARS FOR JOURNALISM.

WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?

BECAUSE THEY ARE FINDING FROM THEIR USERS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE MORE VIDEOS FROM WELL RESPECTED JOURNALISTS.

AND SO USERS ASK, THEY'RE DELIVERING.

ROOZ ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT IS IT FOR OUR SHOW, TELL US WHAT YOU THINK EMAIL US, TWEET US, SEND US A COMMENT.

I'M EMILY ROONEY.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.