*By Carlo Versano*
Google is "missing an opportunity" by not sending a top official to Capitol Hill next week to testify on election interference and censorship, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) told Cheddar's J.D. Durkin on Wednesday.
Facebook and Twitter are both sending C-Suite executives ー COO Sheryl Sandberg and CEO Jack Dorsey, respectively ー to testify in front of both chambers on Sept. 5.
So far, Google has said it will only dispatch its general counsel, Kent Walker.
"We need policy makers, not simply their lawyers," Warner said.
The heads of the top social and web platforms will head to the Hill to answer questions about how they are combating misinformation campaigns from state actors like Russia and Iran ahead of the midterm elections. Additionally, they are expected to face pointed questions about censorship ー a topic that President Trump has been pushing, most recently on Wednesday afternoon when he told reporters, "I think they treat Republicans and conservatives very unfairly" and such handling "may not be legal."
That echoes the sentiment of several Trump tweets Tuesday which suggested that Google News technology suppressed conservative views. Economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the White House would look into the matter, but many questioned Trump's statements on their face.
"The president doesn't really understand how search algorithms work," Warner said, noting that content is ranked in searches as a result of computer calculations, not human action.
The last time officials from Facebook, Twitter, and Google testified together ー last November on the topic of Russian hacking ー the reaction from lawmakers was largely negative. Since then, each company has shown a more proactive approach to the policing of their platforms.
Warner said he hopes next week's hearings will be forward-looking. "We want to look at solution sets" for these complex problems, he said.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018.
A new platform is inviting politically progressive consumers to vote with their wallets. The Progressive Shopper platform is designed to educate left-leaning shoppers about political donations made by their favorite brands.
All eyes were focused on Google CEO Sundar Pichai when he testified in front of Congress on Tuesday. But stealing the spotlight was a face in the background ー the Monopoly Man, resurfacing to troll corporate America once again. According to Ian Madrigal, the D.C. attorney behind the viral persona, the mustachioed figure is the ultimate symbol of corporate malfeasance.
Amazon's HQ2 decision was among the greatest "PR scams" in history, according to the state senator that represents the New York district that will be home to one-half of the new split headquarters. Michael Gianaris, the Democratic state senator from New York's 12th district, which includes Long Island City, told Cheddar that the state badly misplayed its hand in giving Amazon billions in incentives to build an outpost in the booming Queens waterfront neighborhood.
Sensing the shifting political winds, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is reportedly planning to introduce a "green new deal" that would legalize recreational pot as part of the inaugural speech he will deliver from Ellis Island on New Year's Day.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018.
Gene Munster isn't worried about Apple. The managing partner of Loup Ventures and venture capitalist told Cheddar Tuesday that the tit-for-tat with Qualcomm over iPhone sales in China is insignificant for Apple's long-term value.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018.
Boris McGiver didn't need to research his journalist character on "House of Cards" ー he simply had to read the scripts.
"The writing was and remains so good," McGiver said Monday of the show, which was the first of Netflix's ($NFLX) binge-watchable programming when it premiered in 2013 and is now wrapping up after six seasons.
As Cheddar reflects on 2018, we are profiling the most innovative, flamboyant, and often-controversial entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who delivered the year's most memorable moments in business. Cheddar's Class Clown Award Goes to Elon Musk.
