REPUBLICANS TARGET GOOGLE

Google’s decision to ban a far-right website from its ad platform and issue a warning to another conservative media outlet over posts in its comments sections is adding fuel for Republicans who say tech giants have an anti-conservative bias and need more regulation.

Several GOP lawmakers, as well as a Republican member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), pointed to the move as a prime example of why the government must target the protections a company like Google enjoys over the content posted by its users.

They’re also accusing Google of hypocrisy, considering the tech platform has protections that prevent it from being held liable for third-party posts. The protections do not play a role in Google’s decisions on how it runs its ad network.

“It is profoundly disingenuous for Google to insist on applying a standard to other companies that it disclaims for itself,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wrote in an open letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Wednesday. “In short, Google demands minimum oversight for itself, but maximum power over those who use its platform.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Tech Task Force, added in a statement that Google’s recent actions would give federal regulators “more ammo to use” in their investigation into the company’s alleged anticompetitive business practices, including its dominance in digital advertising.

The comments from GOP lawmakers come as Republicans ramp up their assault on Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, a provision that says websites cannot be held liable for posts shared by its users. Republicans are also going after a clause that allows “good-faith” efforts on the part of tech companies to moderate the content they host.