The Right to be Wrong; AMLO; Law of the Sea | 60 Minutes Full Episodes

Social Media and Misinformation

• The Supreme Court is considering the extent of social media platforms' rights to moderate content on their sites, particularly in relation to the First Amendment.
• Conservatives allege that big tech companies are censoring their views and suppressing conservative speech.
• Social media platforms have reduced their fact-checking teams, leading to an increase in misinformation on these platforms.
• Researchers who study misinformation face threats and attempts to discredit their work, especially when their findings suggest that conservatives spread more misinformation.
• Congressman Jim Jordan believes that the government and tech companies are colluding to silence conservatives and that the government should not regulate or influence social media content.
• The Supreme Court seems poised to reject efforts to limit the government's influence on social media.
• Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter in 2022 resulted in the firing of most fact-checkers, leading to an increase in misinformation on the platform.
• The clash over what is true is damaging institutions and threatening democracies worldwide.
• Misinformation is a threat to democracy, especially in the US, where the right-wing is spreading misleading information to confuse the public and silence academic researchers.
• Researchers studying misinformation feel intimidated by conservatives and are no longer sending their findings to social media platforms.

Mexican President Andre Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO)

• AMLO has significant power and influence in the US, especially regarding immigration.
• AMLO believes President Trump's threats to build a wall on the border are a bluff because Mexico and the US have a favorable economic agreement.
• AMLO implemented measures to reduce the flow of migrants to the US, including increased border patrols and cooperation with Central American countries.
• AMLO proposes a long-term solution to migration by addressing root causes, such as poverty and violence, through US investments in Latin America and the Caribbean, lifting sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba, and legalizing law-abiding Mexicans in the US.
• Critics view AMLO's actions as diplomatic blackmail, but he defends his frankness and willingness to speak his mind.
• AMLO holds daily televised press conferences, which can resemble political rallies, and has been accused of threatening a New York Times reporter by displaying her phone number.
• AMLO's approach to drug cartels involves creating a National Guard, investing in job creation for young people, and prosecuting criminals, but cartels still have a significant presence in Mexico.
• AMLO denies that most fentanyl comes from Mexico and claims it is also produced in the US and Canada, with chemical precursors from Asia.
• Mexico became America's top trading partner in 2022, making it mutually beneficial for both countries to maintain open borders.
• President Lopez Obrador has directed billions towards signature mega projects like an oil refinery and a railroad, despite criticism that these projects are not addressing more pressing concerns like clean water, roads, and reliable energy.
• Lopez Obrador has implemented social programs such as doubling the minimum wage and increasing pensions and scholarships, which have contributed to his high approval ratings.
• Critics argue that Lopez Obrador's popularity is due to his populist policies of giving people money, while corruption remains a significant problem in Mexico.
• Mexico will hold one of the largest elections in its history in June, with concerns about the influence of cartels and violence against candidates.

Seabed Mining

• The United States is absent from the race for seabed mining due to Republican Senators blocking ratification of the United Nations law of the sea, which would allow access to valuable minerals on the ocean floor.
• China has a significant advantage in seabed mining, with five sites and plans to dominate the industry, while the United States has none due to its refusal to ratify the treaty.
• Former diplomats and military leaders are urging the Senate to reconsider and ratify the treaty to protect US interests and ensure a say in environmental guidelines for deep-sea mining.
• The Heritage Foundation opposes the treaty, arguing that it would subjugate the United States to the UN and that American companies can mine the seabed without permission.
• US companies interested in seabed mining prefer the legal guarantees of the treaty, but some experts believe deep-sea mining is not yet economically viable.
• The US has not ratified the Law of the Sea Treaty, which governs activities in international waters, due to concerns about China's growing naval power and potential misuse of deep-sea mining technology for military purposes.
• Lockheed Martin, a major defense contractor, has suspended its deep-sea mining operations due to the lack of US support for the treaty.
• Supporters of the treaty argue that it would provide the US with access to valuable mineral resources and prevent China from becoming the dominant player in deep-sea mining.
• Opponents of the treaty, such as the Heritage Foundation, argue that China will not abide by the treaty's rules and that US participation would not change China's behavior.
• China has been expanding its naval power and asserting its claims over disputed territories in the South China Sea, raising concerns about its intentions and potential for conflict with the US.
• China's deep-sea mining activities could have dual-use applications, allowing the country to collect valuable information for military purposes.
• The US Senate is currently deadlocked on the issue of ratifying the Law of the Sea Treaty, with Republican holdouts preventing its passage.

Texas Immigration Law

• The Texas law, known as "Operation Lonestar," allows state and local law enforcement agencies to arrest, detain, and deport migrants who enter the state illegally, bypassing the federal immigration system.
• The legality of the Texas law is being challenged in federal courts, with the Supreme Court initially lifting a stay on the law but the Fifth Circuit judges reinstating it while considering the arguments.