The Latest: Experts question usefulness of Big Tech hearings

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers are lambasting three Big Tech CEOs for allowing hate speech and disinformation to thrive on their social media platforms, signalling congressional interest in stepping up heavy scrutiny of the powerful tech industry and contemplating new legislation. Experts, however, are questioning the usefulness of hearings such as these. They note that these hearings tend to be highly partisan, long and often focus largely on optics rather than substantial policy. In addition, as former Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos notes on Twitter, Congress might get better answers by calling lower-level executives with actual responsibility for particular moderation decisions.