The House Oversight Committee has requested that the CEOs of Discord, Twitch, Reddit, and the gaming platform Steam testify on October 8th. The CEOs are to appear regarding their platforms’ alleged involvement in online radicalization and the incitement to commit politically motivated acts. This request was made in letters sent from the House committee to the four tech executives.
In a statement, Representative James Comer, the chairman of the Oversight Committee, explained the reasoning behind the request. He referenced the murder of Charlie Kirk and other acts of politically motivated violence as central reasons for the hearing. Comer stated that Congress has a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to advance political violence.
He further said that to prevent future radicalization and violence, the CEOs must appear before the committee. They are expected to explain what actions they will take to ensure their platforms are not exploited for nefarious purposes.
Discord told Reuters that it looks forward to testifying in October. Reddit stated that it is investigating the link between its platform and Kirk’s death. Other companies summoned have also been contacted for comment.
Charlie Kirk was a prominent conservative activist and a close ally of former President Trump. He was shot and killed last week by Tyler Robinson while speaking at an event in Utah. Robinson reportedly confessed to committing the crime in a chat on Discord shortly before his arrest. The bullets Robinson used were also apparently engraved with memes and references to video games.