House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy on Sunday night released a “framework” he argued to House Republicans would help rein in Big Tech companies from engaging in censorship and silencing of conservatives.
In a letter sent to House Republicans on Sunday night, McCarthy announced the framework as an apparent counterweight to a series of antitrust bills which last week passed the House Judiciary Committee with largely Democrat support but also some Republicans, most notably Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO).
“Just days before the 2018 primary election, Google search results for ‘California Republicans’ identified our ideology as ‘Nazism,’” McCarthy wrote:
At the same time, conservatives like Devin Nunes and Donald Trump Jr. were shadowbanned on Twitter. For pro-life groups like Live Action and others, the discrimination wasn’t subtle at all. Since then, the examples of conservative censorship and bias across internet platforms has proliferated. Each one of you are all too familiar with how Big Tech and its overwhelmingly liberal executives want to set the agenda and silence conservatives. But Big Tech doesn’t just have a free speech problem. It has an anti-competition problem too.
The letter from McCarthy is heavy on criticism of Google — and specifically mentions several other Big Tech companies like Twitter, Amazon, and Apple — but does not mention Facebook. A House GOP leadership aide told Breitbart News this framework would apply across the board to everyone including Facebook, though. It is notable that McCarthy’s letter also cites efforts specifically from Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). Jordan, in particular, is noteworthy because he is the founding chairman and chairman emeritus of the House Freedom Caucus who also serves as the House Judiciary Committee ranking member and holds lots of sway with conservatives and has been at loggerheads with Buck on the approach to combatting Big Tech for a while now.
“Over 90 percent of search happens on Google and 90 percent of users drop off after first-page results,” McCarthy continued in the letter:
The ability to stack the deck protects the willing participants of the scheme and punishes the non-compliant. The same gatekeeper effect lies with Amazon and Apple. If your company or product doesn’t meet the criteria of corporate wokeism, it’s increasingly likely Americans won’t find it on these platforms. Today’s Big Tech behemoths were once the gold standard of entrepreneurism and innovation. They took on incumbents, created new services, and transformed what our economy looks like today. Innovation and competition is what makes a free economy stronger, and ultimately, our lives better. But Big Tech’s idea of competition today is corrupted. Big Tech wants higher corporate taxes because companies like Amazon know it’s the entrepreneurs and disruptors who will have to pay more to try to compete. Apple, Google, and Amazon use their platforms to tip the scales towards higher fees and their growing product lines. And just about every big technology company has experience copying products or businesses they are unable to acquire.
McCarthy specifically praises the antitrust lawsuit filed by the DOJ against Google during former President Donald Trump’s administration but said that is not enough and Congress needs to act — noting that he, Jordan, and McMorris Rodgers will be introducing specific legislative proposals starting this week.
“The Trump Administration wisely commenced antitrust action against Google last October, but more can be done and Congressional action is warranted,” McCarthy said. “For the sake of preserving free speech and a free economy, it’s time Big Tech faces the music. House Republicans are ready to lead. This week I will join Ranking Members Jim Jordan and Cathy Rodgers to roll out a framework to stop Big Tech based on three principles.”
The three principles that are part of McCarthy’s framework are “accountability,” “transparency,” and “strengthening anti-trust review.”
Under the “accountability” part, McCarthy is heavy on ending Section 230 protections for Big Tech, saying that the House GOP framework “would rein in Big Tech and end their abusive practices, including by changing the law so that Americans can challenge Big Tech directly for their infringement of public speech rights.”
“This effort starts by taking away the liability shield Big Tech has hidden behind for far too long. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act would be changed to limit liability protections for moderation of speech that is not protected by the First Amendment and would preclude Big Tech from discriminating against Americans based on their political affiliation,” McCarthy wrote. “We would also require regular reauthorization of Section 230 so Congress may update regulations of the constantly-evolving internet landscape.”
Continue reading: Breitbart.com
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