There’s a heated argument in Washington right now, but it’s not what we were promised. A hearing held by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce was meant to scrutinize the way Big Tech uses their legal shield to restrict free speech. But that’s not what went down. Instead, the hearing was dominated by left-wing personalities, and free speech got left out in the cold.
On May 22nd, three handpicked witnesses addressed the Committee – a plaintiff’s lawyer, a former Democrat committee staffer, and the Director of Engine Executive, a group enjoying Google’s financial backing. Despite Big Tech players like Facebook and Twitter using their Section 230 rights to suppress conservative voices, not a single advocate for free speech was invited. Moreover, just four committee members bothered to even raise a question about Big Tech censorship and free speech during the three-hour hearing.
MRC Free Speech Vice President Dan Schneider critiqued both witnesses and representatives for focusing on suppressing already illegal content, instead of calling for greater freedom of speech. Yet, the only individuals who shared Schneider’s support for free speech during the hearing were Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), and Neal Dunn (R-FL).
Meanwhile, Organization for Social Media Safety CEO Marc Berkman was repeatedly prodded into addressing free speech concerns but remained obstinate. In response to questions about the conservative voices silenced on platforms like Facebook, he dismissed this as “a red herring”, ignoring the 6,816 documented censorship incidents in MRC’s own records. He proved equally contrary when questioned about hypothetical cases of discriminative behavior by social media platforms.
Rep. Dunn, however, didn’t shy away from calling out Big Tech’s culpability for political bias in online content moderation. He referenced the brazen collaboration between Big Tech and government, which occurred during the last Presidential election. Yet, when Dunn asked Berkman how proposed changes would affect free speech, the CEO shrugged, claiming concerns were “overblown”.
Rep. Fulcher, meanwhile, hit the nail on the head by asking just where was the transparency and accountability by these social media giants towards their users.
Dan Schneider summed up the hearing aptly, saying it left him “speechless”. He hit out at the Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and the rest, condemning them for turning a blind eye to Big Tech censorship of conservatives in their desire for even more control over online content.
In conclusion, this farcical ‘free speech hearing’ was a stark reminder of the uphill battle that conservative voices face in the current climate. Therefore, it’s time to hold Big Tech accountable. Get in touch with your representatives and demand transparency and equal treatment for conservatives from these tech monopolies. Stand up and let your voice heard.
