Sen. Marshall seeks Google subpoenas after Trump assassination attempt

Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, is urging the Senate Homeland Security committee to issue subpoenas for Google's CEO and relevant software engineers. This request follows the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13, where a gunman shot Trump, resulting in one death and two critical injuries. Marshall's concern stems from Google's autocomplete search feature, which failed to recognize the assassination attempt, instead suggesting unrelated historical events. Marshall argues that Google, controlling a significant portion of the search engine market, has a responsibility to provide accurate and timely information. He believes that the company's algorithms should have been updated to reflect the increased public interest in the assassination attempt. In a letter to the committee, he expressed worries about potential bias in Google's search results against Trump and other conservatives, especially with the upcoming 2024 election. In response to Marshall's inquiries, Google stated that the lack of relevant search results was due to a policy aimed at preventing the promotion of hypothetical political violence. They acknowledged that their previous systems were outdated and led to a poor user experience. However, Marshall dismissed this explanation, emphasizing that Google was effectively blocking information about the assassination attempt. The senator's investigation into Google's practices highlights broader concerns about the influence of major tech companies on public discourse and the accessibility of information, particularly in politically charged contexts. As the 2024 election approaches, Marshall is advocating for greater accountability from Google regarding its search algorithms and their impact on political content.