Google CEO Sundar Pichai To Finally Discuss Censorship With U.S. Republicans In Private Meeting
After Google failed to show up at previous government meetings, The Wall Street Journal reports that the company’s CEO Sundar Pichai is scheduled to meet with prominent Republican party members on Friday. Government officials have been concerned by the size and reach of other internet companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Alphabet lately, so it’s only natural that top international technology company Google is on their list of concerns. Apparently, topics to be discussed include the company’s wide influence, market power, and its alleged bias against political parties in search engine results. Also up for discussion will be Project Dragonfly, an alleged censorship project in China which the Inquisitr reported on last month.
House majority leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) will be heading the meeting on Friday. His top complaints are that Google censored media in China and declined to renew its contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.
“Google has a lot of questions to answer about reports of bias in its search results, violations of user privacy, anticompetitive behavior and business dealings with repressive regimes like China,” McCarthy said.
Apparently, Google has confirmed that it tested a mobile app that would follow China’s strict media guidelines. The company also confirmed its refusal to sign a new contract with the U.S. military for fear of aiding in military objectives.
prominent Republicans have accused Twitter, Facebook and Google of political bias in recent months, with frustrations intensifying in recent weeks. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is headed to Washington this week to discuss censorship and China https://t.co/0EOArtqpPg via @Verge
— mr.grey (@xeouse) September 25, 2018
This past year, government scrutiny of major internet companies has become center screen in the U.S. due to the recent allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The Wall Street Journal says that Republicans have been frustrated with Google for not sending a top leadership speaker to a previously scheduled meeting for questioning on the subject. CNBC says that instead of sending the company’s CEO, as was hoped, Google instead sent its top lawyer, Kent Walker. Apparently, while Twitter and Facebook have participated with government by sending top leaders to discussions, Google has shown that it wants to stay out of the limelight. CNBC says that Pichai refused to comment on the reason he was not present at the previous meeting.
That will change Friday if Pichai indeed shows up to the meeting. Topics up for discussion at Friday’s meeting will likely include the company’s privacy policy on Gmail accounts and allegations by conservative members that its search engine returns biased results regarding their political agenda.
“I look forward to meeting with members on both sides of the aisle, answering a wide range of questions, and explaining our approach. These meetings will continue Google’s long history of engaging with Congress, including testifying seven times to Congress this year,” said the Google CEO.
