FTC Opens Inquiry Into Big Tech Censorship Practices

An illustration shows social media apps displayed on an iPad on Feb. 26, 2024. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an inquiry into whether major technology platforms have engaged in potentially unlawful censorship practices such as restricting users based on speech content or affiliations. The agency is now seeking public input to better understand how these actions may have harmed consumers or violated competition laws.

“Tech firms should not be bullying their users,” FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said in a statement announcing the inquiry. “This inquiry will help the FTC better understand how these firms may have violated the law by silencing and intimidating Americans for speaking their minds.”

The FTC issued a Request for Information (RFI) asking members of the public to submit comments detailing instances in which they experienced content-based restrictions, such as being banned, demonetized, or “shadow banned.”

The agency is also calling for input from current and former employees of tech companies who may have insight into internal policies governing content moderation—with a May 21 deadline for public comments.

According to the agency’s announcement, technology platforms often use opaque or unpredictable procedures to curtail users’ access, sometimes failing to provide clear explanations or opportunities to appeal adverse decisions. The FTC expressed particular concern about whether these restrictions have resulted from anti-competitive behavior or have violated consumer protection laws.

Commissioner Melissa Holyoak underscored the importance of the inquiry in a post on X, saying: “Big tech censorship is one of the most consequential issues facing our nation. This RFI is a crucial first step to protect Americans and restore free speech. I look forward to hearing the public’s comments.”

The agency’s inquiry is broad in scope and covers multiple aspects of content moderation, including whether platforms have penalized users for their off-platform activities, whether they have applied their policies consistently, and whether changes in content moderation rules have negatively affected users’ ability to earn money or grow an audience.

Ferguson emphasized the public’s role in shaping the inquiry, urging those who have been affected by platform moderation policies to share their experiences.

“The FTC wants your help to investigate these potential violations of the law,” he wrote in a social media post. “We are asking for public submissions from anyone who has been a victim of tech censorship (banning, demonetization, shadow banning, etc.), from employees of tech platforms, or from anyone else who can shed light on these practices and the ways in which they may violate the law.”

The agency has clarified that comments submitted in response to the RFI will be made public. However, those wishing to file private complaints can do so through the FTC’s fraud reporting website.

The FTC’s move comes amid a broader national conversation on free speech and the role of technology companies in moderating online discourse.

The Epoch Times sought comment on the FTC’s announcement from major tech companies Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Google/Alphabet, and X but did not hear back by publication time.