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January 6 committee subpoenas Google, Facebook, Twitter and Reddit in probe of Capitol attack

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On a tablet, the logos from Google and Facebook are displayed.

AFP via Getty Images| AFP via Getty Images

A House committee has summoned the social media titans to testify before it investigates the Capitol Riot. TwitterReddit, Reddit, and the parent companies FacebookAnd GoogleChairman of the panel, said Thursday.

The bipartisan commission had asked for a trove of records last summer from those and other social companiesHowever, it said that some of the biggest platforms did not respond to its request.

The committee again demanded that Google parent company Alphabet, Twitter, Reddit and Meta — formerly known as Facebook — hand over a slew of records related to domestic terrorism, the spread of misinformation and efforts to influence or overturn the 2020 election.

“Two key questions for the Select Committee are how the spread of misinformation and violent extremism contributed to the violent attack on our democracy, and what steps — if any — social media companies took to prevent their platforms from being breeding grounds for radicalizing people to violence,” Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said in a statement Thursday.

Thompson expressed disappointment that, despite many months of engagements, the Select Committee still does not possess all necessary documents or information to address these fundamental questions. “The Select Committee will work to provide answers for American citizens and ensure that nothing similar to January 6th never happens again. “We cannot let our vital work be delayed.”

CNBC reached out to representatives of Meta, Alphabet and Twitter but they did not respond immediately.

The panel is charged with investigating the circumstances surrounding Jan. 6 Capitol Riot. Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed Capitol Building and briefly stopped power transfer to Joe Biden.

Thompson sent letters to four of the firms stating that Thompson believed the major social media companies had withheld crucial information for the House investigation.

Sundar Pichai, Alphabet CEO, Thompson stated that Thompson had not produced documents to clarify its conversations about content moderation. These discussions were crucial in order to understand the reasons for Trump’s suspension. Google-owned YouTubeIn the aftermath of the Capitol Riot.

Thompson stated that Meta had not provided documents regarding the disbandment reported of Facebook’s election-related team.

Reddit, the chairman claimed, failed to perform a “thorough examination of its records”, responsive to the requests of the committee. He claimed that Twitter hadn’t provided documents explaining why Trump was suspended.

This is important breaking news. Stay tuned for new updates.

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