U.S. House panel subpoenas social media firms in Jan. 6 attack probe

Birds fly around the U.S. Capitol on the first anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2022. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol on Thursday subpoenaed Facebook parent Meta, Google parent Alphabet, Twitter and Reddit, seeking information about how their platforms were used to help spread misinformation and violent extremism in the failed bid to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

"We cannot allow our important work to be delayed any further," the House Select Committee's chairman, Bennie Thompson, said in a statement.