Google CEO Sundar Pichai agreed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee this fall. That came after meeting House Republicans Friday led by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. (see 1809270044).
The House Judiciary Committee expects to host Google at a hearing later this year, an aide told us Thursday. She didn't say whether testimony will come from CEO Sundar Pichai, who is to visit the Hill this week to speak with lawmakers from both chambers (see 1809250050). The aide said Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., was part of a group of House lawmakers scheduled to meet with Google Friday and referred further questions to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told us he was to meet with Pichai Thursday. Asked Thursday, Goodlatte declined to comment about who will testify for Google. A Google spokesperson cited a previous statement from Pichai saying he looks forward to working with members of both parties without committing to testifying.
The House Judiciary Committee expects to host Google at a hearing later this year, an aide told us Thursday. She didn't say whether testimony will come from CEO Sundar Pichai, who is to visit the Hill this week to speak with lawmakers from both chambers (see 1809250050). The aide said Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., was part of a group of House lawmakers scheduled to meet with Google Friday and referred further questions to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told us he was to meet with Pichai Thursday. Asked Thursday, Goodlatte declined to comment about who will testify for Google. A Google spokesperson cited a previous statement from Pichai saying he looks forward to working with members of both parties without committing to testifying.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., expects to finalize draft data privacy legislation before year-end, he told reporters. Earlier Wednesday, the committee heard testimony (see 1809250049) from Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Charter Communications, Google and Twitter that edge providers and ISPs should be subject to the same pre-emptive federal privacy legislation.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., expects to finalize draft data privacy legislation before year-end, he told reporters. Earlier Wednesday, the committee heard testimony (see 1809250049) from Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Charter Communications, Google and Twitter that edge providers and ISPs should be subject to the same pre-emptive federal privacy legislation.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., expects to finalize draft data privacy legislation before year-end, he told reporters. Earlier Wednesday, the committee heard testimony (see 1809250049) from Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Charter Communications, Google and Twitter that edge providers and ISPs should be subject to the same pre-emptive federal privacy legislation.
DOJ and 14 state attorneys general offices discussed “ways the department and state governments can most effectively safeguard consumers using online digital platforms,” Justice said. The topic of the Tuesday meeting evolved over time (see 1809210047), after President Donald Trump attacked online platforms for alleged conservative bias and threatened antitrust action. “The discussion principally focused on consumer protection and data privacy issues,” Justice said. Those attending included Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, Acting Associate AG Jesse Panuccio and Assistant AG Makan Delrahim. State officials included Alabama AG Steve Marshall, California AG Xavier Becerra, District of Columbia AG Karl Racine, Maryland AG Brian Frosh and Mississippi AG Jim Hood, all Democrats, and Louisiana AG Jeff Landry, Nebraska AG Doug Peterson, Tennessee AG Herbert Slatery and Utah AG Sean Reyes, all Republicans. AG offices from Arkansas, Arizona, Missouri, Texas and Washington sent staff. A federal probe of online platforms would be “inappropriate, undermine the free speech rights of tech platforms and ultimately do a disservice to consumers,” the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation wrote in USA Today. “These businesses have no incentive to inject bias in their platforms, because consumers across the political spectrum use social media and discriminating against any of them could drive people away,” wrote ITIF Vice President Daniel Castro and Research Assistant Michael McLaughlin. Delrahim at a separate appearance Tuesday on antitrust efforts committed Justice to “accelerating the pace of merger review consistent with enforcing the law because we believe that doing so is good for American consumers and taxpayers.”
DOJ and 14 state attorneys general offices discussed “ways the department and state governments can most effectively safeguard consumers using online digital platforms,” Justice said. The topic of the Tuesday meeting evolved over time (see 1809210047), after President Donald Trump attacked online platforms for alleged conservative bias and threatened antitrust action. “The discussion principally focused on consumer protection and data privacy issues,” Justice said. Those attending included Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, Acting Associate AG Jesse Panuccio and Assistant AG Makan Delrahim. State officials included Alabama AG Steve Marshall, California AG Xavier Becerra, District of Columbia AG Karl Racine, Maryland AG Brian Frosh and Mississippi AG Jim Hood, all Democrats, and Louisiana AG Jeff Landry, Nebraska AG Doug Peterson, Tennessee AG Herbert Slatery and Utah AG Sean Reyes, all Republicans. AG offices from Arkansas, Arizona, Missouri, Texas and Washington sent staff. A federal probe of online platforms would be “inappropriate, undermine the free speech rights of tech platforms and ultimately do a disservice to consumers,” the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation wrote in USA Today. “These businesses have no incentive to inject bias in their platforms, because consumers across the political spectrum use social media and discriminating against any of them could drive people away,” wrote ITIF Vice President Daniel Castro and Research Assistant Michael McLaughlin. Delrahim at a separate appearance Tuesday on antitrust efforts committed Justice to “accelerating the pace of merger review consistent with enforcing the law because we believe that doing so is good for American consumers and taxpayers.”
Sundar Pichai expects to meet Friday with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the Google CEO confirmed in an email Tuesday. Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Mark Warner, D-Va., told us the executive is meeting with a “partisan group” of House Republicans Friday. He cited the platform’s recent absence from a hearing with Twitter and Facebook executives (see 1809050057). “I look forward to meeting with Members on both sides of the aisle, answering a wide range of questions, and explaining our approach,” Pichai said in a statement. “These meetings will continue Google's long history of engaging with Congress, including testifying seven times to Congress this year.” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been a vocal critic of alleged anti-conservative bias on Google, announcing Sept. 11 an invite to the platform. Google didn't respond to questions about reports Pichai also plans to testify before the House Judiciary Committee after the November elections. The committee didn’t comment. Content Creators Coalition launched a campaign Tuesday calling for Congress to subpoena testimony from Google so it can answer questions on “the Russian attack on the 2016 election, as well as the company’s long history of ignoring illegal activities on its networks.”
Sundar Pichai expects to meet Friday with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the Google CEO confirmed in an email Tuesday. Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Mark Warner, D-Va., told us the executive is meeting with a “partisan group” of House Republicans Friday. He cited the platform’s recent absence from a hearing with Twitter and Facebook executives (see 1809050057). “I look forward to meeting with Members on both sides of the aisle, answering a wide range of questions, and explaining our approach,” Pichai said in a statement. “These meetings will continue Google's long history of engaging with Congress, including testifying seven times to Congress this year.” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been a vocal critic of alleged anti-conservative bias on Google, announcing Sept. 11 an invite to the platform. Google didn't respond to questions about reports Pichai also plans to testify before the House Judiciary Committee after the November elections. The committee didn’t comment. Content Creators Coalition launched a campaign Tuesday calling for Congress to subpoena testimony from Google so it can answer questions on “the Russian attack on the 2016 election, as well as the company’s long history of ignoring illegal activities on its networks.”