The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is officially soliciting public comments on political censorship by major technology companies, according to a draft document obtained by The Daily Caller. The agency is asking Americans to share their experiences of being penalized by tech platforms for engaging in disfavored political speech, a move that signals forthcoming investigations or policy changes under FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson.
The FTC, under Ferguson’s leadership, has taken a more aggressive stance against industry giants. The agency is currently pursuing legal action against Meta and Amazon while actively investigating Microsoft.
“In case there was any doubt, Big Tech is on notice. We do not intend to take our foot off the gas any time soon. The days of censorship and monopolies are over,” a senior FTC official told The Caller.
The request invites users to report instances of being suspended, banned, shadowbanned, or otherwise restricted by tech companies. It also asks whether users faced punitive actions for their off-platform activities or affiliations. The FTC is also encouraging current and former employees of tech firms to come forward with information on internal censorship practices.
According to the draft document, the agency is concerned that Big Tech companies may be enforcing censorship through “opaque or unpredictable” policies outside of their official terms of service, often without clear notice or an opportunity to appeal. The FTC warns that such practices could amount to illegal anti-competitive behavior.
The commission is particularly interested in whether government pressure influenced content moderation decisions. In 2022, attorneys general from Missouri and Louisiana sued the Biden administration, alleging it worked with social media companies to suppress dissenting opinions on public health policies and political issues. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously claimed Biden officials aggressively pressured his company to remove content, recalling that officials accused social media platforms of “killing people” and subjected them to intense scrutiny.
The FTC is also looking at foreign government influence on tech censorship. A recent 60 Minutes report highlighted how German prosecutors are enforcing strict online speech laws, which allow fines of up to 50 million euros for failing to remove illegal content.
