Big Tech gets preview of questions U.S. House Republicans want answered
2022.12.14 17:29
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The logos of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google in a combination photo/File Photo
By Diane Bartz
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Representative Jim Jordan, who will chair the House Judiciary Committee next Congress, gave a hint of what is to come with letters sent to five big tech companies requesting information about conservative material removed from their platforms.
In letters sent Tuesday and seen by Reuters, Jordan requested the top executives at Alphabet (NASDAQ:)’s Google, Microsoft (NASDAQ:), Apple (NASDAQ:), Amazon (NASDAQ:) and Meta’s Facebook (NASDAQ:) provide any information they have about contact with President Joe Biden’s administration regarding “the moderation, deletion, suppression, restricting, or reduced circulation of content.”
Microsoft declined to comment. The other companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Republicans won control of the House in the midterm elections, which will give them control of key committees in January with the power to investigate and even subpoena witnesses.
Jordan and other Republicans have argued that the companies stifle conservative voices, something that they have denied.
“House Republicans have written a number of prior letters to you in attempts to obtain relevant information. You have not provided responses that have satisfied our concerns,” Jordan wrote in the letters. “Committee Republicans will continue to pursue these matters, including into the 118th Congress if necessary.”
