Rep. Jordan Seeks Files on Advocate-Social Media Collusion

Internet safety advocates need to turn over documents to assist the House Judiciary Committee’s investigation of the Biden administration’s alleged collusion with social media companies to censor free speech, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said Thursday (see 2305080039). Jordan wrote Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) CEO Imran Ahmed requesting documents about the organization’s communication with the government and social media companies on content takedowns. X Corp., formerly known as Twitter, is suing the CCDH over free speech claims (see 2308020038). “Whether directly or indirectly, a government-approved or -facilitated censorship regime is a grave threat to the First Amendment and Americans’ civil liberties,” Jordan wrote. “Accordingly, as part of the Committee’s constitutional oversight obligations, we write to request relevant information and documents.” Ahmed in a statement accused the committee of engaging in a “fishing expedition” in order to show a nonexistent funding link between the CCDH and the government: “I fear all of this is an attempt to hinder, delay and silence our work exposing hate and harmful disinformation online. Regardless, we look forward to releasing new research in the coming days, despite these transparent attempts to hinder our ongoing work.”