Republican Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, has issued subpoenas to the heads of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook (Meta), and Microsoft for documents and communications relating to alleged collusion with the federal government to suppress free speech.
In his press release, Jordan accused the companies of failing to respond adequately to requests for documents from the committee since December 2022. The investigation focuses on potential coordination between the government and Big Tech to stifle free speech, a claim that many conservatives have been making for years.
Twitter was notably excluded from the subpoena list, with Jordan praising the company’s transparency regarding interactions with the government regarding censorship.
The House Judiciary Committee has set a deadline for March 23 for the documents to be produced. This is the first step towards accountability, according to Jordan. A Microsoft spokesperson has confirmed that they have already begun producing documents and are committed to working in good faith with the committee.
Background
Since the rise of social media, platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have been accused of censoring conservative voices on their platforms. The allegations have been made by many Republicans and conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, who was permanently banned from Twitter and Facebook following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
The allegations led to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in November 2020, where Big Tech CEOs were grilled on their alleged censorship of conservative voices.
Jim Jordan’s Subpoenas
Jim Jordan’s subpoenas of Big Tech executives are the latest attempt by Republicans to hold the companies accountable for their alleged suppression of conservative voices. The subpoenas seek documents and communications relating to the federal government’s alleged collusion with Big Tech to suppress free speech.
The investigation is not the first time Jordan has targeted Big Tech. In July 2021, Jordan introduced the “Unmasking Antifa Act of 2021,” which sought to force tech companies to reveal the identities of users who are suspected of being involved in Antifa-related activities.
The Resistance
Democrats have resisted Republican efforts to hold Big Tech accountable for their alleged suppression of conservative voices. In October 2021, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee passed the “Ending Platform Monopolies Act,” which aimed to break up Big Tech companies and prevent them from using their platforms to stifle competition. However, the bill was never passed by the Senate.
FAQ
Q: Why did Jim Jordan exclude Twitter from the subpoena list?
A: Jordan praised Twitter’s transparency regarding interactions with the government over censorship and therefore excluded the company from the subpoena list.
Q: What is the purpose of the investigation?
A: The investigation aims to uncover potential collusion between the federal government and Big Tech to suppress free speech.