GOP Dwells on ‘Bias in Big Tech’ as Facebook, Google Take Stand

When four of the most prominent executives in American business testify before Congress Wednesday, the topic will ostensibly be whether they’ve used their market power to squelch competition. The Republican congressmen participating in the hearing are eager to talk about another issue: the tech industry’s supposed bias against conservatives.

A confidential memo from Republican leadership preparing lawmakers for the hearing labels bias as the top concern, while conceding it is not an issue that can be solved through antitrust enforcement. "Political bias in Big Tech is a problem that must be highlighted and examined so that consumers are aware, the market can respond, and lawmakers can evaluate options," says the memo, which was obtained by Bloomberg. The document casts the effort to change antitrust law as a Democratic push to undermine the legal regime that has been critical to the development of a thriving American economy. It argues that lawmakers should trust the executive branch to bring appropriate legal action based on existing antitrust laws.