Editor, Gazette-Journal: As a citizen who values open, honest communication from our elected leaders, I am increasingly concerned about the tools they use to reach us. Our representatives in congress and our president list social media sites on their official governmental websites. They regularly post messages, updates, and report official actions on platforms like Facebook, X (Twitter), Truth Social, Instagram, and YouTube—sites owned by powerful corporations, individuals who have donated to politicians, a “special government employee,” or in the case of Truth Social, an elected politician. These platforms don’t just relay messages—they filter and amplify them through algorithms designed to keep us scrolling, not informed. Studies show these algorithms favor sensationalism and reinforce ideological echo chambers regardless of accuracy. When our representatives rely on these platforms, they send our attention—and our trust—through systems that may distort their message and enrich polit...