US Senators, including Bernie Sanders, send letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, YouTube's Neal Mohan on ‘talks with Trump' about censorship lawsuit: ‘We are concerned about…'
may be negotiating a settlement in a censorship lawsuit with former President Donald Trump in exchange for favourable treatment from his administration. For this, the group of Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren and independent Senator Bernie Sanders, has written a letter sent to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO
Neal Mohan
, questioning whether discussions with Trump's legal team have included such a possibility.
The lawsuit stems from Trump's claims of unlawful censorship after his accounts were suspended from social media platforms following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. The senators' letter cited a court filing from May that indicated lawyers for both YouTube and Trump were 'engaged in productive discussions' and had requested a delay in a court hearing until September 8.
'We are concerned about the possibility that Google could settle the lawsuit against YouTube in a quid-pro-quo arrangement to avoid full accountability for violating federal competition, consumer protection, and labor laws,' the letter states.
The senators added that such an arrangement could potentially violate
federal bribery laws
.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World
5minstory.com
Undo
Elon Musk's X and Meta have settled similar lawsuits
They highlighted Google's vast interests in federal policy, from tax to environmental regulations, suggesting the company could be seeking outcomes favourable to its business. The letter also noted that both X (formerly Twitter) and Meta (formerly Facebook) have already settled similar lawsuits with Trump this year, for approximately $10 million and $25 million, respectively.
'The company has substantial interests in almost every aspect of the federal government, from tax policy to energy and environmental policy, and much more,' they wrote.
'Google stands to benefit from how the federal government proceeds in these matters, and Google may settle this lawsuit in the hopes of securing outcomes favorable to the company,' the Senators said in the letter.
The lawmakers pointed to Google's existing legal challenges, including a major antitrust case with the Department of Justice that could lead to the company being broken up. They also mentioned several open cases with the National Labor Relations Board concerning alleged unfair labor practices.
India Overtakes China in US Smartphone Exports | Apple's Big Move
AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Trump open to trilateral summit with Putin, Zelensky amid peace deal efforts
US President Donald Trump is open to holding talks with both Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the US state of Alaska, the White House said on Sunday. The development comes amid efforts to reach a peace deal to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Donald Trump is open to holding talks with both Putin and Zelenskyy in Alaska(AFP)
Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Inside Track: Wheeling in Circles
At the start of 2025 we were led to believe that we were Donald Trump's special friend and that India would probably be the first to conclude a trade tariff agreement with the US. Now we are not just back of the queue, but could be blackballed! A close observer of Trump-India relations has a different take from others for the mysterious fallout. It was not initially about Russian oil, Pakistani perfidy or thwarting Trump's Nobel Peace Prize ambitions. Trump was infuriated with India's dilatory tactics in signing a deal, which goes back to his first presidency. His joint appearance with Modi in Texas in 2019 was meant to help seal an agreement, but talks fell through a day later in New York. Time and again, as in Gujarat February 2020, like the traditional smooth-talking Indian trader, our officials assured that a deal was almost through, without confessing candidly that some portions of the deal concerning agriculture and dairy products were non-negotiable. Unfortunately, Trump is focused on just this sector, since his Republican supporters come from the farm belt. As US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick remarked angrily, 'You claim to be such a big country and you can't accept a bushel of American corn.' After being re-elected, President Trump was even willing to overlook past slights. (PM Modi did not call or even telephone Trump during his three visits to the US during the Biden presidency.) But in 2025, once again, despite the head-start in negotiations, the deal has not materialised! Retired IAS officer Subhash Chandra Garg's new book is titled No Minister. The former Finance Secretary does not hold back in recalling riveting encounters with his ministerial bosses, some of whom, in fact, refused to take no for an answer, despite bureaucrats citing the rules and the wishes of the incumbent PM. Garg names P Chidambaram among the naysayers who, as finance minister, threatened then PM Manmohan Singh with his resignation unless his proposal that 60-70 secretary level-posts were allotted to the Indian Revenue Service cadre. In Garg's view, this unbalanced the bureaucratic structure without improving tax collection. Similarly, Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu, on whom the Vajpayee government was dependent for survival, cornered more than 40 % of the portfolios of Indian projects approved by the World Bank in 1999 and 2000. Despite objections from the government, Naidu forced them to agree to his audacious demand, in disregard of fair Central resource distribution. Similarly, Kamal Nath bullied his way so that 5% of the total pool of government houses in Delhi was part of his discretionary quota, which largely included newly constructed category type VII and VIII bungalows in Moti Bagh. Considering it is an intra-party contest to elect the fairly modest position of secretary (administration) of the Constitution Club, it is surprising that the poll has attracted intense national interest and media scrutiny. In contrast, Rajeev Shukla (Congress) has been elected unopposed as secretary (sports) and Tiruchi Siva (DMK) as secretary (culture) without any rancour. There seems more than meets the eye in the fierce tussle between the two ill-matched adversaries for the post of administrative secretary. The jocular, down-to-earth ex-MP and UP Jat leader Sanjeev Balyan, who only joined the club eight years ago, appears to have been pitch forked into the contest, while Rajiv Pratap Rudy, the suave Bihar MP who has been the guiding spirit behind the club for the last 25 years, is credited with upgrading its facilities, including gyms, saunas, lounges and sports facilities. Balyan's most vocal campaigner is controversial Bihar MP Nishikant Dubey, who is fighting with all the vehemence and caste calculations of a panchayat election and throwing names of powerful central politicians. Pratap, more discreet, is believed to be backed by an influential regional satrap, who has not shown his hand openly. Amidst constant reports of Air India's slipping standards, I am pleased to report my recent personal experience of the airlines, which demonstrates that the staff's spirit of service beyond the call of duty, the hallmark of JRD Tata's original Air India, has not vanished. While flying back from Kenya on an AI flight, the senior air hostess noticed my distress as I rummaged through my carry bag and under the seat for my missing iPad, which had obviously been left behind in Nairobi. I presumed resignedly that recovering my iPad was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but I had not reckoned with the resourcefulness of the very helpful air hostess and the AI Nairobi manager. The latter, with the assistance of his counterpart at the Nairobi airport lounge, located the missing iPad, got it identified through WhatsApp photos and arranged to have it returned to Delhi within a week.
Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
White House crypto adviser Bo Hines announces departure
Synopsis Bo Hines, head of Trump's Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, is leaving for the private sector after leading efforts to shape US crypto policy. He championed the GENIUS Act, establishing rules for stablecoins.
