Congress and technology: Do lawmakers understand Google and Facebook enough to regulate them?

A sizable disconnect appears to exist between the technology Americans are using and depending on in their daily lives and the knowledge base of people with the power and responsibility to decide its future and regulation. The House Antitrust Subcommittee hearing became a forum for Republicans to lament what is seen as a bias against conservatives on digital platforms and for Democrats to ask about issues such as the poor treatment of small businesses and third-party sellers online. Despite some smart questions on acquisitions, privacy and spread of misinformation, "the technological ignorance demonstrated by our elected officials in (the) hearing was truly stunning," said Shelly Palmer, CEO at The Palmer Group, a tech strategy advisory group. "People who are this clueless about the economic forces shaping our world should not be tasked with leading us into the age of AI (artificial intelligence)," he said. "The data elite are playing a different game with a different set of rules. Apparently, Congress can't even find the ballpark."