U.S. Senators Ron Johnson, Richard Blumenthal, and Josh Hawley have initiated an investigation into Meta Platforms, Inc. The inquiry focuses on claims that Meta collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to censor user content and provide AI tools for surveillance. The investigation is being conducted by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI).
The senators addressed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a letter requesting documentation related to Meta’s activities in China. The letter specifically asks for records concerning the use and development of AI models potentially in partnership with the CCP.
The subcommittee based part of its investigation on internal documents indicating that Meta, known then as Facebook, had planned to enhance its interactions with the CCP. These plans reportedly included developing censorship tools with a Chinese company and sharing user data with the CCP. The alleged censorship also targeted dissidents beyond China’s borders, reportedly affecting those based in the United States, according to the senators’ letter.
The text of the letter is available for public review.
