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At a tense Senate hearing on tech censorship, Meta repents again to Republicans in hearing over moderation, apologizing for not resisting Biden-era pressure to remove COVID-19 and election misinformation. Meta’s VP of Public Policy, Neil Potts, admitted the company should have been “more outspoken” about political interference in content moderation decisions. The hearing spotlighted growing partisan divides over Silicon Valley’s influence, with Meta conceding mistakes—while Google stood its ground, defending its approach as business as usual.
Meta’s apology centered on accusations that it too readily complied with government requests to remove certain posts during the pandemic and 2020 election cycle. Potts said the company “takes full responsibility” for its decisions but regrets not pushing back harder. Republicans accused Meta of political bias, while Democrats questioned why outdated moderation decisions were being rehashed instead of addressing current threats to free speech. The discussion underscored how tech moderation remains a political lightning rod heading into 2026.
While Meta softened its stance, Google stood its ground firmly. Markham Erickson, Google’s VP of Government Affairs, said the company regularly evaluates and often rejects government content removal requests. He emphasized that Google’s moderation system operates independently from political influence. By maintaining this position, Google signaled confidence in its internal review process—and a refusal to be drawn into partisan battles.
The hearing also hinted at a brewing legislative push: Senator Ted Cruz’s proposed “anti-jawboning” bill, designed to prevent government officials from pressuring tech firms. Yet Democrats remain skeptical, calling the session political theater. Still, the divide between Meta’s repentance and Google’s resilience may shape future debates on transparency, algorithmic accountability, and the limits of government influence in online speech.
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