In a bombshell report released Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee unveiled evidence of extensive corporate collusion aimed at silencing conservative voices, targeting entities like Breitbart News, Joe Rogan, and Twitter. The report, titled “GARM’S Harm: How the World’s Biggest Brands Seek to Control Online Speech,” implicates major corporations, advertising agencies, and industry associations, accusing them of violating antitrust laws by coordinating efforts to deprive conservative media outlets of advertising revenue.
Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) spearheaded the investigation, which revealed the influential role of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) in these efforts. GARM, an initiative of the World Federation of Advertisers, allegedly used its significant market power to influence content moderation and advertising decisions across various platforms, effectively censoring conservative viewpoints.
One of the key revelations of the report is the role of GARM’s leader and co-founder, Rob Rakowitz, who reportedly provided inaccurate information during interviews with the committee. Internal documents showed that GARM’s work extended beyond promoting “brand safety” and ventured into content moderation, influencing what content appears online.
The report highlighted instances of GARM’s bias against conservative media, noting how it monitored outlets like The Daily Wire and Breitbart, seeking justifications to exclude them from advertising lists. This coordinated action has significant implications for the availability and diversity of viewpoints accessible to consumers.
The committee also uncovered evidence of GARM’s efforts to silence Joe Rogan over his opinions on the COVID-19 vaccine and its coordination to boycott Twitter following Elon Musk’s acquisition. These actions, according to the report, illustrate a pattern of anticompetitive behavior designed to suppress conservative speech.
The Judiciary Committee’s findings have sparked calls for increased scrutiny and regulatory action to prevent such collusion in the future, emphasizing the need for transparency and fairness in media and advertising practices.
