Rep. Khanna Dismisses Claims of Silicon Valley Anti-Conservative Bias

“It’s quite absurd on its face, given that I don’t think Donald Trump would be president if it weren’t for social media,” said Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley. The joke there is that Hillary Clinton received 99 percent of the region’s donations during the 2016 election, but Trump won the social media battle, Khanna added.

Basic online privacy protections are needed to avoid another Cambridge Analytica-like breach, Khanna said. He urged support for his internet bill of rights (see 1810050036), which he formulated at the direction of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Companies should have to secure user consent to collect and transfer data, unless it concerns ordinary business practices needed to fulfill customer needs, Khanna argued, noting that’s the model for California’s privacy law. Khanna said repeatedly there’s room for bipartisan support on tech issues in the House.

House Judiciary Committee ranking member Doug Collins, R-Ga., this week floated privacy principles (see 1907100031) that would define consumer data rights. It’s an attempt to improve Silicon Valley behavior without assuming a big tech breakup is needed, he told us: “I’m concerned we’re getting so fascinated in this town with tearing apart big companies that we’re not actually just looking at what they’re doing and how we can better make the process that we have.” The prospective bill is an attempt to look at the current situation and ensure consumers own their data because “they’re monetizing what they know about us,” Collins said.

Antitrust enforcement should ensure tech incumbents aren’t privileging their own platforms, Khanna told the Communicators, citing the Microsoft case of the late 1990s. Today, for instance, Amazon shouldn’t be able to force-feed users with AmazonBasics products on its platform, he said.

Regulators shouldn’t have approved Facebook’s purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp, Khanna said. He noted some in his district might disagree, saying the exit plan for many startups is to get bought out by a large incumbent. But the public needs assurance that new platforms will always emerge, he said.

It would be a mistake to further weaken Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, Khanna said. Members of Congress from both parties are closely scrutinizing the tech industry’s liability shield (see 1907090062), which was weakened by a 2018 anti-sex trafficking law. Removing Section 230 protections has unintended consequences, Khanna said, citing a more dangerous environment for sex workers since passage that update.

Khanna hopes to continue “constructive” talks with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., about legislation to better prepare platforms against foreign interference. He complimented McCarthy’s tech savviness, but said there’s a “knowledge gap” for many other members. Social media companies should share information with each other about “bad actors,” Khanna argued. He noted banks do this.

News that Immigration and Customs Enforcement used face scanning technology to mine state driver’s license databases, gathering data about millions of Americans without consent, is “concerning,” Khanna said. Because the technology is susceptible to racial and gender bias, Congress needs to set clear guidelines for face scanning technology, he said. Khanna believes there’s room for bipartisan support with “thoughtful” Republicans like Rep. Will Hurd, Texas. Khanna said it’s a “difficult lift” to get any movement in the Senate from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and a signature from Trump.