A “united front” of US social media giants could try to “fight off” regulation implemented in Europe, an American politician has suggested.
The idea that big tech companies like Meta, Apple, Microsoft and others could work together against both the UK and EU laws was made by Republican senator Scott Fitzgerald, who is chair of the judiciary subcommittee and an ally of President Donald Trump.
He was part of a trip that US politicians made to this side of the Atlantic recently around the topic of online regulation.
One of the delegation, Jim Jordan, talking with Elon Musk earlier this year. Pic: AP
This included meetings with both the UK, EU and European member states, as well as discussions with big tech companies.
Speaking to journalists, Mr Fitzgerald said he asked Facebook owner Meta whether the businesses had been working together – but said they “wouldn’t confirm that”.
He added: “There may be some value in some type of united front in trying to fight these things off in Europe.”
This was in reference to both the UK’s Online Safety Act, and similar European regulation.
Mr Fitzgerald went on to say that he thinks the White House “certainly is interested in finding out” what the delegation discovered.
“I’m not sure if it can be elevated to a level of something that the president would talk about publicly and on the global stage, but this stuff is dangerous.
“And I think it needs to be addressed, and so I certainly expect to talk to the platforms and talk to the White House as well.”
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As well as Mr Fitzgerald, Republicans Jim Jordan and Kevin Kiley were also on the trip – both of whom are politically close to Mr Trump.
In a recent thread on social media, Mr Jordan accused the UK government of trying to censor US tech companies last summer during the riots that took place after the Southport killings.
He shared emails the committee obtained from tech organisations showing the UK government asking for information and wanting to know what was being done by the companies during the rioting.
A report by the UK Commons Science and Technology Committee into the events last year found that “social media business models incentivise the spread of content that is damaging and dangerous, and did so in a manner that endangered public safety in the hours and days following the Southport murders”.
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But Mr Jordan said that the government asking for companies to tell them what was being done to tackle reports of a “two-tiered system” was concerning.
He added that such an attempt by the UK government to get information from technology companies would “chill speech”.
Mr Jordan and the delegation met the UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle on Wednesday.
The topic of the impact of UK law on American companies came up, in what is understood to have been a polite meeting.
