Senate Panel Subpoenas Top Social-Media CEOs

By Ryan Tracy 

WASHINGTON--The Senate Commerce Committee voted to subpoena testimony from Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerbeg, Twitter Inc. CEO Jack Dorsey, and Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary Google, setting up what could be a contentious hearing with the largest U.S. social-media companies in the midst of a national election.

In taking the unusual step of forcing the executives to testify Thursday, Senators cited the need to review Section 230, a legal provision that grants the companies legal immunity in managing content on their sites, as well as privacy and other issues.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R., Miss.), the committee's chairman, also invoked the Nov. 3 election. "On the eve of a momentous and highly charged election, it is imperative that this committee of jurisdiction and the American people receive a full accounting from the heads of these companies about their content moderation practices," he said Thursday.

The subpoenas were adopted by voice voice, without opposition from any of the panel's 26 members, both Republicans and Democrats. After the votes, the lawmakers debated whether the hearing should be held before or after the Nov. 3 election. Some Democrats said it ought to be scheduled afterward, but GOP lawmakers who control the committee appeared ready to move forward quickly.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D., Wash.), the committee's top Democrat, had initially objected to the subpoenas, but said she agreed to support them after Mr. Wicker expanded their scope to include privacy issues.

She said she shared Republicans' desire to question the CEOs, but didn't want the hearing to be used to pressure the companies to stop taking down false information.

"What I don't want to see is a chilling effect on individuals who are in a process of trying to crack down on hate speech and misinformation about Covid during a pandemic," she said.

Representatives of the companies had no immediate comment.

The committee first asked the CEOs to testify on Sept. 18, according to people familiar with the matter. Six days later, Mr. Wicker announced he would move to subpoena testimony -- a fast timeline by congressional standards. On Thursday he said the subpoenas were necessary because the CEOs had "declined to participate."

"It should speak volumes that every member of this committee just voted to issue subpoenas," said Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Tex.) "Big tech are the robber barons of the 21st Century."

Write to Ryan Tracy at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 01, 2020 11:04 ET (15:04 GMT)

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