The Chief Executives of Facebook, Google, and Twitter, in their first appearance before Congress since Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, were asked by U.S. lawmakers whether their platforms bore some responsibility for the riot: “yes or no?”
Social media has been widely blamed for amplifying calls to violence and spreading misinformation that contributed to the Jan. 6 attempt to violently overturn the election results.
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Twitter Inc CEO Jack Dorsey replied “yes” to the question, being the only one of the three to do so, added that the “broader ecosystem” had to be taken into account.
Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google parent Alphabet Inc, said the company always feels a sense of responsibility but it was a complex question.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company was responsible for building “effective systems”. He also said that the rioters and former President Donald Trump should be held accountable.
In the joint hearing, held by two subcommittees of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, lawmakers also questioned the executives on the proliferation of COVID-19 and vaccine misinformation and raised concerns about the impact of social media on children – including asking questions about Facebook’s plan to create a version of Instagram for kids.
Lawmakers are also calling for Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, to be scrapped or rejigged. The Act shields online platforms from liability over user content.
Facebook argued that Section 230 should be redone to allow companies immunity from liability for what users put on their platforms, but only if they follow best practices for removing damaging material.
Trump was banned by Twitter over inciting violence around Jan. 6, while Facebook has asked its independent oversight board to rule on whether to bar him permanently. He is still suspended from YouTube.
The companies have taken steps to curb misinformation but researchers have shown it is still widely present on the platforms.