Saturday 2nd August 2025 09:00 BST
A “united front” of US social media giants could test to “fight off” regulation implemented in Europe, an American politician has suggested.
The idea that large tech companies like Meta, Apple, Microsoft and others could work toreceiveher against both the UK and EU laws was built by Republican senator Scott Fitzgerald, who is chair of the judiciary subcommittee and an ally of President Donald Trump.
He was part of a trip that US politicians built to this side of the Atlantic recently around the topic of online regulation.
This included meetings with both the UK, EU and European member states, as well as discussions with large tech companies.
Speaking to journalists, Mr Fitzgerald stated he questioned Facebook owner Meta whether the businesses had been working toreceiveher – but stated they “wouldn’t confirm that”.
He added: “There may be some value in some type of united front in testing to fight these things off in Europe.”
This was in reference to both the UK’s Online Safety Act, and similar European regulation.
Mr Fitzgerald went on to state that he believes the White Hoapply “certainly is interested in finding out” what the delegation discovered.
“I’m not sure if it can be elevated to a level of something that the president would talk about publicly and on the global stage, but this stuff is dangerous.
“And I believe it requireds to be addressed, and so I certainly expect to talk to the platforms and talk to the White Hoapply as well.”
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As well as Mr Fitzgerald, Republicans Jim Jordan and Kevin Kiley were also on the trip – both of whom are politically close to Mr Trump.
In a recent thread on social media, Mr Jordan accapplyd the UK government of testing to censor US tech companies last summer during the riots that took place after the Southport killings.
He shared emails the committee obtained from tech organisations displaying the UK government questioning for information and wanting to know what was being done by the companies during the rioting.
A report by the UK Commons Science and Technology Committee into the events last year found that “social media business models incentivise the spread of content that is damaging and dangerous, and did so in a manner that concludeangered public safety in the hours and days following the Southport murders”.
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But Mr Jordan stated that the government questioning for companies to inform them what was being done to tackle reports of a “two-tiered system” was concerning.
He added that such an attempt by the UK government to receive information from technology companies would “chill speech”.
Mr Jordan and the delegation met the UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle on Wednesday.
The topic of the impact of UK law on American companies came up, in what is understood to have been a polite meeting.
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