Washington, D.C.-Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and committee Republicans today issued letters to Facebook, Google, and Twitter insisting on transparency and accountability from Big Tech.
Background: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 25, 2021.
The letters ask companies to:
1. Identify their processes and policies for content flagging, removal, and user deplatforming decisions;
2. Identify their processes for determining content distribution reductions on their platforms, particularly in regards to political content;
3. Elaborating on their processes for managing and monitoring for illicit content on their platforms;
4. Explain any coordination they participate in with other tech companies when making content decisions;
5. How decisions are made to tailor or adjust content algorithms on their platforms, and whether those decisions are to drive certain content or narratives based on the political leaning of such content;
6. And explain any efforts undertaken to support local news and traditional media.
Note: In addition to these letters, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have also issued a call to action from the public. Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Rodgers is asking people to email BigTech@mail.house.gov with feedback and comments by March 18, 2021.
