On Thursday, the Internet Accountability Project's Mike Davis led a letter calling on Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to do their part in breaking up and reining in Big Tech. Townhall received an exclusive sneak peek at the letter, which begins by calling on the Committee "to hold a markup meeting, pass bipartisan antitrust reforms, and take other crucial steps to break up trillion-dollar Big Tech monopolists Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple’s illegal stranglehold over online information and commerce." The letter also addresses such members for being "leaders in Congress on competition, consumer policy, and antitrust law," adding "we know you understand the importance of ensuring there is a level playing field."
Specifically, the letter later goes on to ask for Committee votes on the Advertising Middlemen Endangering Rigorous Internet Competition Accountability (AMERICA) Act (S.1073), the Open Apps Market Act from the previous Congress, and the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (S.2033).
"The time has come for Congress to pass meaningful legislation to end Big Tech’s monopoly powers. We strongly encourage the immediate passage of these three bills, most of which previously passed through the committee in the 117th Congress," the letter reads.
The letter also celebrates success and leadership of specific members, with Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Mike Lee (R-UT) both earning a shoutout. The Kids Online Safety Act (S. 1409), introduced by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), with Blackburn among those serving as an original cosponsor, is mentioned for being "among the bills passed by this committee and sent to the Senate floor for passage."
Another Republican on the Committee, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), has similarly warned of the threats caused by Big Tech, including in his 2021 book on the subject, "The Tyranny of Big Tech." He's also continued to speak out against the issue.
The letter reminds how Big Tech has been able to have a monopoly, a role which has allowed them to have "manipulated elections, COVID guidance, and the news–all without repercussions or checks. Worse, they do China’s bidding."
Such a call to action makes clear how "Big Tech is our new Leviathan, and these anti-free-market pariahs have failed to play by the rules for far too long," warning how "[w]hen trillion-dollar Big Tech monopolists use their market power to crush competition, shutter small businesses, and cancel conservatives, we no longer have functioning–and thus, free–online markets."
Beyond strong words, the letter urges conservatives to actually do something. "Conservatives must support these bills. It’s long past time to stop complaining about Big Tech’s abuses. Congress must start to rein in Big Tech’s monopoly power through market-based reforms and competition," it reads, also later adding that "[u]nder Speaker [Mike] Johnson [R-LA], conservatives have a rare window of opportunity to rein in Big Tech.
My latest for @townhallcom covers @mrddmia’s @The_IAP letter sent to members of @SenJudiciaryGOP about the need to rein in Big Tech! https://t.co/IcEozOYt4e pic.twitter.com/53aJ9kuYTE
— Rebecca Downs🇺🇸🟦🇮🇱 (@RebeccaRoseGold) April 25, 2024
The letter also addressed Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-SC) as well as Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley (IA), John Cornyn (TX), Ted Cruz (TX), Tom Cotton (AR), John Kennedy (LA), and Thom Tillis (NC).
Davis was joined by Aiden Buzzeti and Ziven Havens of the Bull Moose Project, as well as Jon Schweppe of the American Principles Project and bestselling author Geoffrey Cain in his letter.
Schweppe also just recently had a column published with Townhall warning how "‘Net Neutrality’ Would Give Biden Wartime Powers to Censor Online Speech," reminding how such Big Tech censorship could also even be a matter of influencing elections.
Big Tech censorship is also an issue that has affected Townhall directly, as has been covered at length lately, including by Spencer who just did so last week.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member