Lawmakers press Big Tech CEOs on speech responsibility

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS News) — The CEOs of Facebook, Twitter, and Google got a hostile reception from lawmakers when they testified virtually before a joint House subcommittee for the first time since the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Pennsylvania Democrat Mike Doyle questioned Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the spread of extremist groups on the platform.

“How is it possible for you not to at least admit that Facebook played a central role or a leading role in facilitating the recruitment, planning and execution of the attack on the Capitol?” Doyle asked. Zuckerberg responded, “I think that the responsibility here lies with the people who took the actions to break the law and do the insurrection. And secondarily, also, the people who spread that content, including the president, but others as well.”

Zuckerberg also testified about Facebook’s efforts to deal with misinformation. Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey addressed how his company handles the statements of specific users.

“Ultimately we’re running a business. And a business wants to grow the number of customers it serves. Enforcing policy is a business decision,” Dorsey said.

Zuckerberg recommended reforming Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. It gives social media companies immunity from liability for content on their platforms.

Changes in legislation seem likely with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle dissatisfied. Republican Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington said, “Big tech has failed to be good stewards of your platforms.”

Experts like Dr. Ethan Porter, an assistant professor at George Washington University, say changes first need to come from the companies’ leaders.

“Even if you’re skeptical about changing the rules and regulations, surely, I think you want the norms to change to resemble standards of decency and civility that are useful for democracy,” he says.

Lawmakers are urging a standard for rules and accountability to prevent what happened on January 6 from ever happening again.

All of the CEOs rejected blame that their platforms are responsible for the spread of the misinformation.

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