Executives from major gaming and social media companies have been summoned to testify before Congress about the growing concern over online platforms fostering and seemingly promoting extremism.
The CEOs of Discord, Steam, Twitch, and Reddit are set to face tough questions about the “radicalization of online forum users” and how their sites have been used to incite violent, politically motivated acts.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer announced the request for the executives to appear on Wednesday.
Comer stated, “The politically motivated assassination of Charlie Kirk claimed the life of a husband, father, and American patriot. In the wake of this tragedy, and amid other acts of politically motivated violence, Congress has a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to advance political violence.”
“To prevent future radicalization and violence, the CEOs of Discord, Steam, Twitch, and Reddit must appear before the Oversight Committee and explain what actions they will take to ensure their platforms are not exploited for nefarious purposes,” Comer continued.
The letters were sent to Humam Sakhnini, CEO of Discord; Gabe Newell, president of Valve, the maker of Steam; Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch; and Steve Huffman, CEO of Reddit.
The hearing, scheduled for October 8 before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, comes in the wake of several high-profile incidents where these platforms allegedly played a role in real-world violence.
At the center of the scrutiny is the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last week.
The suspect, Tyler Robinson, 22, reportedly used Discord to discuss the killing and was heavily influenced by toxic online meme culture. This tragedy has reignited debates about how unmoderated online spaces can turn into breeding grounds for hatred and violence.
Robinson’s lover, Lance Twiggs, 22, was transgender and appeared to be immersed in the most degenerate parts of the internet.
Discord has claimed it found “no evidence that the suspect planned this incident or promoted violence on Discord.”
Despite this, there have been at least seven posts uncovered from social media users who appeared to have advanced knowledge of the assassination plot, as The Gateway Pundit has been reporting. The FBI is reportedly investigating those users.
For example, one X user linked to Robinson’s circle posted “WE F-CKING DID IT” after the shooting.
‘WE F-CKING DID IT’: X User Connected to Tyler Robinson’s Alleged Boyfriend Celebrated Charlie Kirk’s Death in the Moments After Shooting
President Trump himself confirmed during an interview that a “large group of people” is under investigation in connection with the case.
As The Gateway Pundit has consistently shown, the line between online radicalization and offline violence is thinner than ever. Will Congress finally force these tech giants to clean house, or will it be business as usual?
The post Steam, Discord, and Twitch Execs Summoned to Testify Before Congress About Radicalization on Their Platforms in Wake of Charlie Kirk Assassination appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.