U.S,. Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Calif., speaks as protesters gather in Hollywood on September 22 to denounce the suspension of ``Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' after the host's comments about the shooting death of conservative activist .Charlie Kirk. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Lawmakers and witnesses emphasized the threat government censorship poses to First Amendment rights during a congressional hearing Wednesday, with Republicans citing what they called Biden administration censorship of social media and Democrats focusing on what they said was weaponization of free speech by the Trump administration.
The hearing followed an investigation led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's role in what a panel report described as "jawboning" big tech companies into disproportionately silencing conservative viewpoints during the Biden presidency. Cruz sponsored the hearing.
The hearing was called "Shut Your App: How Uncle Sam Jawboned Big Tech Into Silencing Americans." The practice of jawboning refers to the "inappropriate demands made of private actors by government officials," according to a paper published by the Cato Institute.
