Rand Paul says personal experience with YouTube and Google changed his mind about platform liability
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said a personal experience with Big Tech has led him to change his thinking, and he now believes companies should be liable for the content posted on their platforms. Paul asserted that YouTube and its parent Google had refused to remove a video that falsely claimed that he had taken money from Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. “I’ve formally notified Google that this video is unsupported by facts, defames me, harasses me and now endangers my life. Google responded that they don’t investigate the truth of accusations… and refused to take down the video,” the senator asserted in the opinion piece published by the New York Post on Monday. RAND PAUL SAYS US IN ‘ACTIVE WAR’ WITH VENEZUELA: ‘I STILL HOPE IT WORKS OUT FOR THE BEST’ Paul also noted that the person who posted the offending video removed it “under threat of legal penalty.” “My default position as a libertarian/conservative has been to defend the internet liability protections known in law as Section 230 of the Communications Act. The courts have largely ruled that Section 230 shields social-media companies from being sued for content created by third parties,” he wrote. “Until now, I had not sufficiently considered the effects of internet providers hosting content accusing people of committing crimes.” The experience was a turning point in his thinking. “The arrogance of Google to continue hosting this defamatory video and the resultant threats on my life have caused me to rethink Congress’ blind allegiance to liability shields,” he asserted. RAND PAUL SAYS TRUMP’S THREAT TO BOMB IRAN ‘IS NOT THE ANSWER’: NOT THE ‘JOB OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT’ Paul accused the company of being inconsistent. “So Google does not have a blanket policy of refraining to evaluate truth. Google chooses to evaluate what it believes to be true when it is convenient and consistent with its own particular biases,” he wrote. “This complete lack of decency, this inconsistent moderation of truthfulness, this conscious refusal to remove illegal and defamatory content has led me to conclude that the internet exemption from liability, a governmentally granted privilege and a special exemption from our common law traditions, should not be encouraged by liability shields and I will pursue legislation toward that goal,” the senator explained. RAND PAUL SAYS GOP COLLEAGUES ‘DON’T GIVE A S— ABOUT THESE PEOPLE IN THE BOATS’: THEY ‘SAY THEY’RE PRO-LIFE’ “I think Google is, or should be, liable for hosting this defamatory video that accuses me of treason, at least from the point in time when Google was made aware of the defamation and danger,” he asserted. Fox News Digital reached out to Google for comment on Wednesday — YouTube noted that the video had been pulled down by the user and is no longer on the platform. YouTube added that it relies on its openly available community guidelines to decide what material it will yank, and only takes down material “that poses a serious risk of egregious harm such as terrorist content.” The video platform also claimed that it has always advocated for anyone to be able to share their view, asserting that it does not check the accuracy of individual videos “and the vast majority of content stays up.”
Palestinians react to Netanyahu joining Gaza ‘Board of Peace’
NewsFeed Palestinians in Gaza have expressed disbelief at the prospect of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joining a US-backed “Board of Peace” aimed at rebuilding the Strip. Many say a leader they blame for the war cannot be a credible peacemaker. Published On 21 Jan 202621 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Who was Rifaat al-Assad, commander of Syria’s 1982 Hama massacre?
EXPLAINER ‘Butcher of Hama’ and former Syrian vice president, convicted of money laundering in France and accused of war crimes in Switzerland, has died at age 89. Listen to this article Listen to this article | 5 mins Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the former commander of the paramilitary “Defence Companies” (Saraya al-Difa), has died in the United Arab Emirates at the age of 89. The Reuters news agency cited two sources confirming his death on January 21, 2026. Rifaat had reportedly fled from Beirut to Dubai following the collapse of the Assad regime and the flight of his nephew to Russia in December 2024. Born in Qardaha, northwestern Syria, in 1937, Rifaat, a member of the country’s Alawite minority, was a central figure in the establishment of the Assad family’s rule in the 1970s. But he fell out with his brother, former President Hafez al-Assad, following a failed coup attempt in the early 1980s. Here is a brief timeline of the main events during the life and career of the man known as the “Butcher of Hama”. The Hama massacre Rifaat was notorious for his role in the 1982 crackdown on the city of Hama to suppress an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood. Commanding the Defence Companies – a force of approximately 40,000 soldiers independent of the regular army – Rifaat led a siege on the city that lasted nearly a month. The operation involved heavy shelling and ground assaults. According to a 2022 report by the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the campaign resulted in approximately 40,000 deaths, and 17,000 people went missing. The assault destroyed entire neighbourhoods, including 79 mosques and three churches. In a 2011 televised interview, Rifaat denied responsibility for the events, claiming he “did not know Hama” and attributing the orders to his brother, Hafez. A photo taken in 1984 shows late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad (R) with his youngest brother, Rifaat, left, at a military ceremony in Damascus [AFP/HO] Rifaat’s rise to power – and a failed coup Advertisement Rifaat joined the Baath party in 1952 and rose through the military ranks. He played a key security role in the 1970 coup, which brought overthrew the former head of state, Salah Jadid, and brought Hafez al-Assad to power. In the late 1970s, as the regime faced internal opposition, Rifaat advocated for extreme measures. In a 1979 speech at a Baath party congress, he reportedly suggested “Stalinist” methods to purge opposition and proposed closing mosques to curb “sectarian ideology”. His influence peaked in the early 1980s, but tensions with his brother were mounting. In November 1983, while Hafez was ill, Rifaat attempted to seize control, deploying his own forces in Damascus. The confrontation ended in a standoff. By 1984, Hafez had regained control. Rifaat was stripped of his command, appointed to the ceremonial post of vice president and sent into exile. Reports at the time suggested he received $200m from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as part of a settlement to leave the country. Exile and legal troubles Rifaat spent the next 36 years primarily in Europe, where he faced multiple legal challenges over the source of his wealth. France: In 2020, a French court sentenced him to four years in prison for money laundering and misappropriation of Syrian public funds, confiscating real estate assets worth an estimated $100m. Switzerland: In August 2023, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Rifaat for his alleged role in war crimes committed in Hama in 1982. Assets Frozen: Authorities in the UK and Spain also froze family assets and investigated him for illicit financial activities. Return and death To avoid imprisonment in France, Rifaat returned to Syria in October 2021. Despite his previous calls in 2011 for Bashar al-Assad to step down, he appeared voting for his nephew in the May 2021 election at the Syrian embassy in Paris. Following the fall of the Assad government in December 2024, Lebanese security officials reported that Rifaat had left Syria for Dubai, where he passed away in January 2026. Adblock test (Why?)
Canada detains Israeli ex-soldier and comedian over Gaza complaint
NewsFeed Israeli comedian and former combat soldier Guy Hochman was detained and questioned in Toronto after the Hind Rajab Foundation accused him of war crimes and incitement in Gaza, based on his own social media posts. Published On 21 Jan 202621 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Delhi-NCR’s air quality improves to ‘very poor’ category, GRAP-4 restricts revoked; Check area-wise pollution level
Delhi continued to reel under ‘very poor’ air quality on Wednesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 341 around 7 am, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
India takes tougher line on Bangladesh than Pakistan, classifies posting as ‘non-family’, ask spouses, children to return; here’s why
In a big move, India has categorized Bangladesh as a ‘non-family’ posting for diplomats, and has advised the families, dependents of Mission and Post officials to back to India, as security concerns and communal tensions arise in Dhaka. What does it means?
Indian Air Force aircraft crashes into pond in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, watch here
An Indian Air Force (IAF) microlight aircraft crashed in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Tuesday during a routine training sortie. Both pilots on board safe, no civilian casualty reported. .
CM Rekha Gupta government approves Rs 1471 crore double-decker flyover in South Delhi, to be developed in two phases, check details here
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta led Delhi government has approved a six-lane double-decker flyover along Mehrauli-Badarpur (MB) Road in South Delhi in a Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) meeting.
Delhi govt set to launch free LPG cylinder scheme for EWS ration card holders ahead of Holi, cabinet approves Rs 300 crore budget, check details
The promise of free LPG cylinders on Holi and Diwali was a prominent feature of the BJP’s manifesto during the 2020 Assembly elections. After coming to power, the government prioritized this scheme, and it has now received the green light from the cabinet.
Love marriage ends in murder: Newlywed woman strangled in Kanpur, husband arrested
In Kanpur, a man allegedly killed his wife over a suspected affair and surrendered to police. The incident has shocked the community and a murder case is under investigation.