Chairman Jordan Seeks Records from Major Corporations Regarding Potential Violations of Antitrust Laws
March 26, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) sent letters to the Chief Executive Officers of Diageo, GroupM, Mars, Incorporated, The Procter & Gamble Company, and Unilever, all members of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media's (GARM) Steer Team, requesting documents and communications as the Committee continues its oversight of the adequacy and enforcement of U.S. antitrust laws. The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) through its GARM initiative may be acting inconsistent with U.S. antitrust laws and congressional intent by coordinating GARM members' efforts to demonetize and eliminate disfavored content online.
Evidence obtained by the Committee suggests that GARM members, led by Steer Team members, are colluding to demonetize conservative platforms and voices. This coordination does not always revolve around "brand safety" and "harmful" content as GARM publicly claims, but instead the desire to censor conservative and other views that GARM members disfavor. Communications reviewed by the Committee directly connects the major corporations with these efforts.
Excerpts of the letter to Unilever:
"The Committee on the Judiciary is conducting oversight of the adequacy and enforcement of U.S. antitrust laws. The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) through its Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative may be acting inconsistent with U.S. antitrust laws and congressional intent by coordinating GARM members' efforts to demonetize and eliminate disfavored content online. Accordingly, to inform our oversight and potential legislative remedies, we write to ask Unilever to preserve and provide documents and information.
"Unilever's position on GARM's Steer Team places Unilever at the center of many of the concerning actions GARM and its members coordinated. Evidence the Committee has obtained suggests that GARM members, led by Steer Team members, are colluding to demonetize conservative platforms and voices. Further, this coordination does not always revolve around 'brand safety' and 'harmful' content as GARM publicly claims, but instead the desire to censor conservative and other views that GARM members disfavor. Communications the Committee has reviewed directly connects Unilever with these efforts.
"Under the Sherman Act, these types of agreements may be illegal, and they require considering the adequacy of current law. The actions are concerning and warrant oversight because the harm that GARM causes to consumers is severe. For example, content creators lose revenue as 'advertising investment is steered away from' content that GARM disfavors. Less content is then available as platforms remove disfavored material, and as creators and publishers lose income."
Read the full letter to Diageo CEO Sally Grimes here.
Read the full letter to GroupM CEO Christian Juhl here.
Read the full letter to Mars, Incorporated CEO Poul Weihrauch here.
Read the full letter to The Procter & Gamble Company CEO Jon Moeller here.
Read the full letter to Unilever CEO Hein Schumacher here.
Evidence obtained by the Committee suggests that GARM members, led by Steer Team members, are colluding to demonetize conservative platforms and voices. This coordination does not always revolve around "brand safety" and "harmful" content as GARM publicly claims, but instead the desire to censor conservative and other views that GARM members disfavor. Communications reviewed by the Committee directly connects the major corporations with these efforts.
Excerpts of the letter to Unilever:
"The Committee on the Judiciary is conducting oversight of the adequacy and enforcement of U.S. antitrust laws. The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) through its Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative may be acting inconsistent with U.S. antitrust laws and congressional intent by coordinating GARM members' efforts to demonetize and eliminate disfavored content online. Accordingly, to inform our oversight and potential legislative remedies, we write to ask Unilever to preserve and provide documents and information.
"Unilever's position on GARM's Steer Team places Unilever at the center of many of the concerning actions GARM and its members coordinated. Evidence the Committee has obtained suggests that GARM members, led by Steer Team members, are colluding to demonetize conservative platforms and voices. Further, this coordination does not always revolve around 'brand safety' and 'harmful' content as GARM publicly claims, but instead the desire to censor conservative and other views that GARM members disfavor. Communications the Committee has reviewed directly connects Unilever with these efforts.
"Under the Sherman Act, these types of agreements may be illegal, and they require considering the adequacy of current law. The actions are concerning and warrant oversight because the harm that GARM causes to consumers is severe. For example, content creators lose revenue as 'advertising investment is steered away from' content that GARM disfavors. Less content is then available as platforms remove disfavored material, and as creators and publishers lose income."
Read the full letter to Diageo CEO Sally Grimes here.
Read the full letter to GroupM CEO Christian Juhl here.
Read the full letter to Mars, Incorporated CEO Poul Weihrauch here.
Read the full letter to The Procter & Gamble Company CEO Jon Moeller here.
Read the full letter to Unilever CEO Hein Schumacher here.
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