Letter to the Censorship Cartel

Over the past few years, Americans have lived through an unprecedented surge in censorship. Your companies [Google, Microsoft, Meta/Facebook, and Apple] played significant roles in this improper conduct. Big Tech companies silenced Americans for doing nothing more than exercising their First Amendment rights. They targeted core political, religious, and scientific speech. And they worked—often in concert with so-called “media monitors” and others—to defund, demonetize, and otherwise put out of business news outlets and organizations that dared to deviate from an approved narrative....  I am writing to obtain information from you that can inform the [Federal Communications Commission's] work to promote free speech and a diversity of viewpoints.  As you know, Big Tech’s prized liability shield, Section 230, is codified in the Communications Act, which the FCC administers.  As relevant here, Section 230 only confers benefits on Big Tech companies when they operate, in the words of the statute, “in good faith.” It is in this context that I am writing to obtain information about your work with one specific organization—the Orwellian named NewsGuard. To help inform FCC action, please provide me with the following. Please provide your complete response by December 10, 2024. 

1. A list of every one of your products or services (if any, including advertising) that use or rely on any NewsGuard product, service, or ranking.
2. A list of every one of your products or services (if any) that enables any of your users or customers to use or rely on any NewsGuard product, service, or ranking.
3. If you offer an advertising service, provide details on the use of any media monitor or fact-checking service, including NewsGuard, that you may utilize.
4. If you use third party advertising or marketing agencies to enable advertising within or with your products, please identify the advertising or marketing agencies you work or partner with.