Israeli tech billionaire Shlomo Kramer urges Americans to limit the First Amendment, sparks outrage

Shlomo Kramer, the co-founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm Cato Networks, sparked outrage online after he urged Americans to “limit the First Amendment” — arguing that democratic nations must respond to emerging dangers by controlling online speech before it’s “too late.”Kramer, a serial entrepreneur who helped found Check Point Software and Imperva, told CNBC that artificial intelligence has given authoritarian governments an “unfair advantage” over democracies that protect free expression.“I know it’s difficult to hear, but it’s time to limit the First Amendment in order to protect it,” Kramer said during the interview.He argued that unrestricted speech on social media platforms is fueling polarization and allowing hostile actors to undermine “the fabric of society and politics.”According to Kramer, governments and technology companies should take direct control of online platforms and determine who is allowed to speak — and how much influence their speech should carry.“We need to control the platforms, all the social platforms,” Kramer said.He proposed a system that would “stack, rank, the authenticity of every person that expresses themselves online,” with speech privileges determined by that ranking.Based on that system, Kramer said authorities should “take control over what they are saying.”Kramer framed the proposal as an emergency response to rapidly advancing AI tools that can generate fake content faster than governments can regulate them.“The technology is moving much faster than the political system typically can respond,” he said, arguing that technological controls are needed to “stabilize the political system.”Kramer contrasted the US with China, which he said maintains “a single narrative that protects its inner stability,” while democratic countries allow multiple narratives that can be exploited by adversaries.Kramer’s remarks ignited an immediate backlash on X, where users accused him of pro...