Ex-Bolivian president warns of overregulation of social media

Former Bolivian president Jorge Fernando Quiroga had a warning Monday for U.S. legislators rushing to regulate the big social media companies:

"If you can regulate it in the U.S, you can regulate it anywhere... Whatever happens here can be applied and interpreted in very pernicious ways. Think of us [other countries] when you’re making rules here."

Why it matters: Political activists have long used social media, which has been especially helpful in regimes where the media is controlled by the state. However, overly zealous regulation in the U.S. in response to the Russian meddling could give a green light to authoritarian regimes to clamp down on social media within their own borders