Thread by @jason_kint

Hearing involving CEOs of Facebook and Google starting now. Livestream here (or use cspan here (c-span.org/video/?510053-…) in U.S. if watching Congress grill CEO of Google on issues caused by YouTube on YouTube is understandably awkward to you). /1 energycommerce.house.gov/committee-acti…

here is a link to their written testimonies published last night. I'll be threading here starting around 12:45pm once they get past opening statements. /2

https://twitter.com/jason_kint/status/1374940732033802241?s=20

ok, I'm here. Just in time for @RepJeffDuncan's point of order on why the witnesses aren't being sworn in and their ability to also ask questions of counsel during the sessions. Next @USRepMikeDoyle gets straight to heart of the matter. /3

yes, @USRepMikeDoyle nailing it by pointing out that Zuckerberg's platform "supercharged" the issues leading to the insurrection connecting back to the algorithmic amplification on the platform providing the velocity and reach. /4

In terms of Congressional concerns in this hearing:
#1 Mark Zuckerberg, CEO Facebook
#2 Sundar Pichai, CEO Google
#67 Jack Dorsey, CEO Twitter

uh oh, @janschakowsky asking Zuckerberg if he stands by this deflection on national TV by his COO, Sheryl Sandberg, in January. He is punting to "based on what we knew at the time." This is a strategy, same reason he rushed to DC to testify in Aril 2018.

https://twitter.com/FBoversight/status/1375083275983724548/video/1

so far GOP seem focused on child harm. It's important to note these are downstream harms, similar to misinfo, from the core business model. Lawmakers now understand they have concerns about different symptoms but the solutions are upstream and they're more aligned than ever. /7

On the Hunter Biden news tweet, Twitter's Dorsey takes the right approach by just quickly admitting it was a mistake, a process error. "We learn." Lawmakers from all political views will pressure to take-down posts which also should be avoided unless violates their policy. /8

Chair @FrankPallone and @RepAnnaEshoo both focus on algorithmic amplification, *promotion* to provide velocity and reach of misinfo, and the tie with profits. This is a more sophisticated view than simply criticizing the symptoms. /9

To my points about the solid and fairly focused work by Congress. Here is a clear, smart question by Republican @RepKinzinger which he patiently listens to Zuckerberg filibuster and then sandwiches it with important @JeffHorwitz @dseetharaman WSJ report (next tweet). 🙏🏽 /10

Here is the super important WSJ report which @RepKinzinger used to truth sandwich Zuckerberg’s failure to once again give a straight answer. wsj.com/articles/faceb… /11

Here is another one in 3 tweets. @USRepKCastor, to her credit, was arguably most focused member on privacy and data issues going back three years. First, she nails the biz model and harms. First few seconds choppy. 1 of 3 /12

And Rep Castor cites a number of studies, all of which should be very familiar to a CEO with the issues of Facebook. Especially if they’re launching an Instagram for under 13 year olds. 2 of 3 /13

And then finally watch Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s answer to @USRepKCastor’s question about revenues from <13. How could this not make parents irate? It’s not a dodge Congress game, it’s their kids. 3 of 3 /14

Putting aside all of my comments about the improvements to Q&A over the years, we may not yet be ready for a lawmaker to ask a FLoC question. But good effort. At least they know they’re paying attention, plus it’s now added to the antitrust lawsuit. /15

See, this is a sophisticated framing by separating the “symptoms” from the actual underlying disease which @RepAnnaEshoo rightly points to 1) algorithmic amplification and 2) biz model of surveillance-based microtargeted ads. /16

“There seems to be a train wreck coming.” - @RepJohnCurtis /17

And @RepArmstrongND also nails that the symptoms are all related to same underlying disease. Same point I heard from @RepAnnaEshoo. Not everyone has same concerns downstream but they agree on the core issue. then follows up with questions from work on antitrust subcommittee. /18

This is a super smart question by @RepArmstrongND whether non-price factors like privacy should be a market consideration for antitrust. @beynate asked this question in 2019. Google CEO dodges, Twitter CEO 🤷🏽‍♀️ and interestingly Facebook CEO confirms yes. cc @DinaSrinivasan /19

I meant to post this earlier, full committee chair @FrankPallone asking about study showing majority of joining of extremist groups on Facebook came from Facebook’s own algorithms making the recommendation. Zuckerberg has trouble even admitting he’s seen the study. /20

Facebook’s ceo answer for why his company is mentioned so often in the Jan 6th charging documents is the same as his answer why they have millions of child harm photos on their app. Because they report it and work with law enforcement. 🤦🏽‍♀️ /21

Facebook does a better job of finding people who might be interested in illegal opioids than it does finding the illegal opioids offers themselves is what I’m hearing from @RepMcKinley here ...then he plugs @profgalloway and breaking them to bits. /22