‘Yes or no?’ US lawmakers fume over Big Tech’s answers on misinformation

Pichai speaks virtually during a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittees hearing on March 25, 2021. The chief executives of Facebook, Google, and Twitter were asked by US lawmakers whether their platforms bore some responsibility for the Jan 6 US Capitol riot. — Bloomberg

WASHINGTON: In their first appearance before Congress since Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol, the chief executives of Facebook, Google and Twitter were asked by US lawmakers whether their platforms bore some responsibility for the riot: “yes or no?”

Social media has been widely blamed for amplifying calls to violence and spreading misinformation that contributed to the Jan 6 attempt to violently overturn the election results.