Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Sunday that government regulation of the internet could help prevent Americans from turning to figures like former President Donald Trump in the future.
Speaking on the “I’ve Had It” podcast, Murphy discussed themes from his book “Crisis of the Common Good,” arguing that loneliness and a sense of powerlessness among Americans are fueling support for leaders like Trump.
“Those are the two things I think Americans are going through right now,” Murphy said. “They don’t feel powerful at all, and they feel lonely. And so, government should build a set of rules in which people feel more powerful — that’s why the minimum wage is so important — and people feel so more connected. That’s why, you know, rebuilding healthy institutions in your town should be a project that government is involved in.”
Murphy said addressing those problems should include regulating the internet.
“That’s why regulating the internet so that you’re spending less time alone on Instagram should be an important government project,” he said. “And if people are feeling more powerful and less lonely, then they are going to be less likely to fall for a bulls— demagogue like Donald Trump. And what I say in the book is that if you really think about the things that make you more connected and make you more powerful, they’re not actually super partisan.”
The Connecticut Democrat, a frequent critic of the former president, said his book argues that failing to address these cultural problems will keep producing politicians like Trump.
“The book basically says unless you fix what’s broken with the culture, you’re going to be stuck with people like Trump for a long time,” he added.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle responded to the remarks in a comment to Fox News Digital, calling Murphy “a lightweight, anti-American disgrace who lies for a living.”
The comments come amid broader debate in Congress over regulating social media companies, particularly around protections for young users. Lawmakers from both parties have discussed scaling back Section 230, the law that shields platforms from liability for user content.
Some Republicans, however, have voiced hesitation about government regulation of newer technologies such as artificial intelligence. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital last week that while AI carries real risks and needs some oversight, he doubts Congress has the expertise to manage it.
“I think the warning is real, and I think that AI is unbelievable — look, AI is going to cure cancer. AI is going to find solutions to get rid of diseases that we never thought we could get rid of, but it does need to have some oversight. It needs a kill switch,” Patronis said. “But again, I don’t think Congress has the expertise to tell an emerging technology what’s the best way to go.”
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