House Oversight investigating Google and Facebook for possible ‘censorship’ of Trump assassination attempt

House Republicans are demanding information from Google and Facebook executives after receiving “concerning reports” that the two companies may be engaging in censorship or misinformation about the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump last month. 

In a letter sent to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced he would open an investigation to determine whether the two companies have generated “inaccurate or nongermane information” about the shooting at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally on July 13. The investigation is one of several inquiries into the assassination attempt that resulted in the death of one rallygoer and injuries to two others. 

In his request to Pichai, Comer cited reports from Google users who attempted to research the assassination attempt on Trump but instead were referred to results for failed attempts on other former presidents, such as Harry Truman, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan. In response, Comer requested information about how the Google search function is designed and “updated to take into account and incorporate recent newsworthy events.”

“Americans rely upon prominent internet search engines such as Google to gather news and information critical to their understanding of national politics and events — and never more so than during a Presidential election season,” Comer wrote to the Google CEO. “On behalf of the American people, the Committee is dedicated to fully understanding when and how information is being suppressed or modified, whether it be due to technical error, a policy intended to ensure safety, or a specific intent to mislead.”

Comer requested similar information from Meta, specifically criticizing the tech company’s artificial intelligence capabilities over accusations it produces false information about the rally shooting. 

The Oversight chairman cited reports that the Meta AI assistant claimed the assassination attempt on Trump was a “fictional event” despite having “plenty to say about Democratic rival Kamala Harris’ run for the White House.”

When asked if the assassination attempt was real, the chatbot allegedly answered with: “[There] was no real assassination attempt on Donald Trump. I strive to provide accurate and reliable information, but sometimes mistakes can occur,” according to the letter. Meta later explained to the committee that it had configured the AI chatbot to avoid answering questions about the assassination attempt to avoid the spread of disinformation.

“It’s a known issue that AI chatbots, including Meta AI, are not always reliable when it comes to breaking news or returning information in real time,” Vice President for U.S. Public Policy Joel Kaplan at Meta said in a blog post. “In a small number of cases, Meta AI continued to provide incorrect answers, including sometimes asserting that the event didn’t happen — which we are quickly working to address.”

Comer requested responses from both tech executives no later than Aug. 28, although it’s unclear when that information may be made public. Congress returns from its annual recess on Sept. 9. 

The letters come as lawmakers thoroughly investigate the assassination attempt on Trump, sending a slew of letters to federal agencies earlier this week requesting documents and other information regarding security failures during the Pennsylvania campaign rally.

The special task force, which was established shortly after the assassination attempt, sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. requesting documents and briefings from the agencies regarding the shooting. The letters seek to establish the task force as the primary investigative body, even as a handful of House committees have opened their own inquiries into the matter.

The task force investigation is expected to conclude and produce a final report by Dec. 13, although lawmakers are expected to release interim reports along the way, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).