WASHINGTON — Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr has issued a strongly-worded letter to the CEOs of Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple, accusing their companies of participating in widespread censorship efforts that infringe on Americans’ First Amendment rights. Carr’s letter, dated Nov. 13, alleges that these companies have worked in tandem with government entities, media monitors, and other organizations to suppress political, religious, and scientific speech across their platforms.
The letter focuses on what Carr calls a “censorship cartel,” which he claims includes partnerships with advertising agencies, marketing firms, and fact-checking services, among them the organization NewsGuard.
NewsGuard, a self-described “arbiter of truth,” provides credibility ratings for news outlets and has collaborated with major tech platforms and advertising networks. Carr questions whether these practices, particularly those involving NewsGuard, violate the “good faith” requirement for liability protections under Section 230 of the Communications Act.
Shore News Network editor Phil Stilton thanked Commissioner Carr for his efforts, saying Newsguard has been a major force behind the Biden-era media censorship industrial complex.
“For nearly 6 years, Newsguard worked overtime to censor our platform and made us jump through hoops to adhere to their far-left driven standards,” he said. “Newsguard was the teeth behind the American censorship cartel and we can only hope their reign of terror against their media enemies can come to an end.”
“Big Tech companies silenced Americans for doing nothing more than exercising their First Amendment rights,” Carr wrote, citing investigations and reports from Congress that claim these companies actively delisted or penalized platforms sharing unapproved narratives. Among other examples, Carr criticized NewsGuard for its alleged bias in favor of official Chinese propaganda over U.S.-based outlets and for its handling of contentious topics like the COVID-19 lab leak theory.
Carr’s letter requests detailed information from each company regarding their use of NewsGuard’s services, the integration of NewsGuard into their products, and any partnerships with advertising agencies or fact-checking organizations. The FCC official asserts that these details are critical to informing potential regulatory action aimed at dismantling censorship structures and restoring freedom of expression.
The correspondence underscores Carr’s confidence in forthcoming legislative and executive action on free speech issues, writing that “the Administration and Congress will take broad ranging actions to restore the First Amendment rights that the Constitution grants to all Americans.” The tech companies are requested to respond by Dec. 10, 2024.
Carr’s call for transparency reflects growing scrutiny of Big Tech’s influence over online speech and its ties to external organizations.