Fighting dissent online

[Bloomberg]( Follow Us [Get the newsletter]( Leaders can be a sensitive lot, particularly when their citizens rail against them on social media. So it’s no surprise Facebook was jumpy when it saw the hashtag [ResignModi]( gaining traction in India as the backlash grew over the government’s handling of the Covid-19 emergency. While it says it banned the hashtag in error and not at the behest of the authorities, the furor suggests a rocky relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s increasingly hardline administration. It’s not alone. Earlier this week Twitter confirmed it had been ordered to [block]( posts, some from opposition politicians, that were critical of the government, saying misinformation risked spurring a panic and disrupting efforts to bring the pandemic under control. The social media giant permanently suspended more than 500 accounts and blocked access to hundreds of others in India earlier this year during big [protests]( by farmers, acceding to a government order to limit misinformation and inflammatory content. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin is pursuing increasingly oppressive internet regulation. Last month authorities [slowed]( Twitter traffic after the company refused to take down content Russian regulators said promoted illegal activity and pornography. Twitter also received fines totaling about $116,000 this month for refusing to remove posts authorities said encouraged minors to join protests against the imprisonment of opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Russia backed off of a threat to block Twitter after the two sides reached an agreement dealing with illegal content. From Turkey to Venezuela, Singapore and [Myanmar](, the desire by governments to dominate public discourse is strong, and the pandemic has only reinforced this as rumors threaten to derail virus control measures and vaccination campaigns. The question, is how far will social media companies let these leaders go? [— Ruth Pollard]( Relatives attend the cremation of a Covid-19 victim in New Delhi on April 17. Source: Hindustan Times Check out the Bloomberg Economics’ newsletter, “The New Economy Daily,” [here]( and and tell us how we’re doing or what we’re missing at balancepower@bloomberg.net. Global Headlines Family focus | President Joe Biden took the [riskiest]( step of his presidency with a call for higher taxes on the wealthy to fund a massive boost to the U.S. social safety net. He devoted his first address to a joint session of Congress to a call for a “a once-in-a-generation investment in our families,” prescribing trillions of dollars in spending. - Republican Senator Tim Scott said Biden’s promise to work with Republicans hasn’t been [matched]( by actions. - And read more about how Biden spontaneously [tempered]( his criticism of Wall Street during the speech. Far-right worry | French President Emmanuel Macron’s allies have been talking up the supposed incompetence of far-right leader Marine Le Pen before next year’s election, but now they’re [worried](. As [Ania Nussbaum]( reports, while Macron is betting she’ll eventually stumble by repeating xenophobic views she voiced in the past, Le Pen has softened her image and gained support. Nuclear leak | Iran’s president said the leak of a recording that brought calls for the ouster of his top diplomat was intended to [derail]( nuclear talks with world powers. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is under pressure after a dissident Iranian news channel aired footage in which he complained that unilateral decisions by late General Qassem Soleimani undermined him. Exit ban | An immigration law passed by Hong Kong’s government is raising [concern]( among pro-democracy groups that it could be used to prevent dissidents from leaving the city. The bill, which takes effect on Aug. 1, lets Hong Kong’s immigration director block an airline passenger or crew member from boarding a departing plane. By 2030, the world’s roads will host 145 million low-emission cars, trucks and buses as the plunging costs of batteries and clean power loosen petroleum’s hold on transportation, [William Mathis]( reports. Chip drought | The global chip shortage is going from bad to [worse]( with automakers on three continents joining tech giants Apple and Samsung Electronics in flagging production cuts and lost revenue. The shortfall of critically needed semiconductors has forced the entire auto industry to cut output, leaving thin inventories at dealerships just as consumers emerge from Covid-19 lockdowns. Paid Post The power of PayPal online, now in person. Give your small business an easy way to accept touch-free, in-person payments. Create a unique QR code with the PayPal app and display it on your device or as a printout in store. [Download the app.]( Customer must have PayPal account and app to pay. PayPal What to Watch - Biden signaled he’s open to a [piecemeal]( approach to immigration, calling on lawmakers to immediately pass measures where there’s bipartisan support while pursuing his sweeping overhaul. - Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster is stepping down in June in a [move]( that risks fanning instability in a region riven by sectarian strife and concerns about Brexit. - Brazil is struggling to [find]( vaccines to tackle one of the world’s worst Covid-19 outbreaks as a surge in cases and supply shortages among top providers slow the pace of deliveries. - The French biotech company Valneva has a possible [solution]( for the long-term war against Covid-19 mutations: a shot that uses technology involving an inactivated version of the whole virus it’s targeting. And finally ... The FBI raids on Rudy Giuliani’s home and office yesterday are a [stunning]( reversal for the former law-and-order New York City mayor and federal prosecutor who made his name four decades ago by taking on the mob, corrupt politicians and big names on Wall Street. The search warrant executed on Donald Trump’s ally suggests charges will soon be brought in an investigation into Giuliani’s work in Ukraine, including efforts to dig up dirt on Biden ahead of the 2020 election. Giuliani speaks in Washington on Nov. 19, 2020 about a Trump campaign lawsuit seeking to block certification of Pennsylvania’s election results. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg   Like Balance of Power? [Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com](, where you'll find trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters.  You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Balance of Power newsletter. 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