These assignments are part of a wider offensive of Republican elected officials, head of the House of Representatives since January, targeting Joe Biden, Silicon Valley, American intelligence and federal agencies.
MO12345LEMONDE with AFP
Five giants of Silicon Valley were assigned Wednesday February 15 to produce documents on their moderation of content by republican elected officials wishing to determine if they have acted in concert with the government to restrict the freedom of expression of the conservatives, A theory of unveiled conspiracy.
The Judicial Commission of the House of Republican Republican, has required the CEO of Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft to produce numerous documents, including communications with the White House linked to content moderation, By March.
The commission “has tried on several occasions to initiate dialogue with the five companies since last December. Unfortunately, these companies have not adequately responded to our requests,” she said in a statement .
“Congress has an important role to play in the protection and promotion of fundamental principles of freedom of expression, in particular by examining the way in which private actors act in connection with the government to suppress speeches protected by the First amendment [of the American Constitution which guarantees freedom of expression], “she adds.
The previous Twitter
Microsoft and Meta said they had already provided the required documents and cooperate with the Commission in press releases. This fight is led in particular by the elected Republican Jim Jordan, faithful lieutenant of ex-president Donald Trump, at the head of the judicial commission.
The Chamber Investigations Commission questioned Twitter officials on the company’s decision last week, canceled in 2021, to limit the spread of a Article from the New York Post which criticized the son of the Democratic president, Hunter Biden.
The elected officials of the hard right wanted to establish that social networks showed censorship under the pressure of the Democrats, but they did not obtain any evidence going in their direction, the witnesses, conversely, of Republican pressures to delete certain content.
The Trump administration had thus pushed for Twitter to remove an insulting publication of the model Chrissy Teigen, according to social network officials.