Part II — Shut Your App: How Uncle Sam Jawboned Big Tech Into Silencing Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – ‘U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee hearing titled “Shut Your App: How Uncle Sam Jawboned Big Tech Into Silencing Americans, Part II” on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 10:00 am EST. This hearing will examine how the Biden administration pressured big tech companies to censor protected speech online, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent elections.

‘Witnesses will discuss how the Biden administration jawboned private companies and compelled them to censor speech by deleting or demonetizing accounts, removing posts, and demoting disfavored content. This censorship had disproportionate effect on conservative voices.

‘The hearing will expand upon the themes explored in Shut Your App Part I and Sen. Cruz’s report on a censorship campaign conducted in secret by the Biden administration’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Sen. Cruz warns that agency censorship of social media serves as a cautionary tale for future abuses related to artificial intelligence.’

Upon announcing the hearing, Sen. Cruz said:

“The First Amendment is a powerful weapon that protects against government’s efforts to silence its own citizens. However, we have seen the government trample on this right through third parties, joining with Big Tech to censor Americans, often under the guise of safety or national security. In a free society, the people govern by speaking freely and debating openly without government retaliation. To keep our society free, we must empower Americans to hold government officials accountable. I hope we will advance bipartisan legislation to stop government jawboning and protect freedom of thought in our country.”

Witnesses:

• Markham Erickson — Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google
• Neil Potts — Vice President, Public Policy, Meta
• Will Creeley — Legal Director, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

An additional witness may be announced at a later date.