Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
Does the president have broad powers over communications networks during wars and emergencies?
Friday, October 9, 2020
By Allegra Taylor
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YES
In the 1940s and 1950s, Congress granted the president additional powers during times of war or national emergency to shut down communications services such as radio stations and other transmitters and “any or all facilities or stations for wire communications.” The president may also authorize a temporary government takeover of such services for national security reasons.
In recent decades, this provision has been interpreted by some as effectively giving the president a “kill switch” to shut down the internet during a national emergency. Rand Paul and a bipartisan group of senators in September introduced legislation which would amend the statute.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
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ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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