Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton told Fox News’ “Watters’ World” on Saturday that “winter is coming” for Big Tech “oligarchs” who engage in censorship.
The New York Post was censored by social media giants last week after alleging that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, met with a top executive of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma in 2015.
While Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey eventually declared the poor messaging “unacceptable” and the social media network ultimately allowed the story to be shared, the censorship has led to renewed calls to punish so-called Big Tech for supposedly running afoul of their role as digital platforms.
Referring to such warnings and even past congressional hearings on the issue which have led to no tangible results, host Jesse Watters asked Cotton, “What’s gonna be different this time?”
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“I think most Republicans and conservatives have always thought these big companies try to suppress their voices, but last week they declared open war on conservatives and Republicans across the country,” Cotton responded. “So we’re gonna be voting on Tuesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena them and have a hearing on Friday.”
Cotton went on to describe two remedies. The first would “repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act” that protects the companies from liability, and the second would look into potential antitrust violations that could even lead to “breaking up these companies.” (RELATED: ‘Another Smear Campaign, Right Up Your Alley’: Biden Blasts CBS Reporter For Question About NY Post Report)
“So for all of these big tech oligarchs, our message is clear, winter is coming,” Cotton warned, ending with the reference from “Game of Thrones.”