Google CEO Sundar Pichai to meet key GOP lawmakers

"Google has a lot of questions about bias reports in search results, breaches of user privacy, anti-competitive behavior, and business relationships with repressive regimes like China," said Kevin McCarthy (R. ). organizes the meeting on Friday. He added that Mr. Pichai had "kindly" accepted congressional issues with Republican members on Friday. Mr. Pichai is also scheduled to appear at a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee following the November elections.

Mr McCarthy complained that Google is working with China to censor the Internet, but has canceled a contract with the US military. Google said this year that it will not renew a contract with the US Department of Defense regarding employee concerns about military projects; The company has also tested a mobile version of its search engine that meets China's stringent content controls, said one familiar with the subject.

The tech industry began to face serious political challenges last year, amid revelations of Russian interference in the 2016 elections, but Google has escaped scrutiny from Facebook and Twitter. Since then, however, the company has taken advantage of the confidentiality of its Gmail service and the Conservatives' claims that its search results are stifling their views. Legislators have also expressed frustration with Google for failing to send a high-level leader to a recent hearing.

"I look forward to meeting members from both sides of the aisle, to answer a wide range of questions and to explain our approach. These meetings will allow Google to continue its long-standing collaboration with Congress, including seven times in Congress this year, "said Pichai.

McCarthy, who aims to help preserve the majority of the GOP's home and improve his chances of becoming a speaker, has become a virulent critic of tech companies in recent months as conservative voters seem to focus more on bias. He was joined by President Trump, who recently accused Google of manipulating search results to highlight negative information about him.

Technology companies deny that they are falsifying their news feeds, research, or other functions to bolster the Liberals or hurt the Conservatives.

Democrats, including Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also criticized Google on China and other issues.

Additional meetings planned for Washington this week could provide insight into what policymakers and regulators could do to master the tech giants.

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions is scheduled to meet with the US Attorneys General on Tuesday to discuss the alleged smothering of the online Conservative speech, as well as possible antitrust concerns on Google, as well as on Facebook and others. On Wednesday, the Senate Trade Committee is holding a hearing on privacy issues on the Internet.

Technology companies are also facing a new documentary by a prominent conservative author, Peter Schweizer. The film, entitled "The Creepy Line," raises allegations that tech companies hold too much power and suppress conservative views.

The Conservatives' current focus on advanced technology clearly has political potential. According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, the majority of Republicans – 64% – of large technology companies support Liberal views of the Conservatives.

Allegations of anti-conservative bias could also help divert attention from Russian interference in the 2016 elections, which appeared to use technological platforms such as Facebook to manipulate public opinion and public opinion. support Mr. Trump.

But the current antitech atmosphere goes beyond political maneuvering. As lawmakers and regulators worry, the debate seems to be expanding from politics to politics and the prospects for new regulation are increasing, no matter who wins the mid-election -parcours and control of the House and Senate.

This reality appeared in a letter written by a bipartisan group of senators last week to the Trump administration, urging legislation imposing a new "applicable national standard" for the collection and use of online data. The letter was written by leading Republicans and Democrats from two Senate trade subcommittees, Secretaries Jerry Moran (R. Kan), Roger Wicker (R. Miss), Richard Blumenthal (D. Conn.) And Brian Schatz. (D., Hawaii). The administration could also publish its own set of principles for online privacy as early as Tuesday. They could also fuel discussions on a general law on privacy protection online, which technology companies have managed to avoid for years.

Write to John D. McKinnon at [email protected] and Douglas MacMillan at [email protected]