Facebook, Twitter CEOs to testify post-election: U.S. Senate panel

FILE PHOTO: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg listens to a question about his company's policies on extremists and hate speech on the Facebook platform from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) as he testifies remotely via videoconference during a U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law hearing on "Online Platforms and Market Power" in this screengrab made from video as the committee meets on Capitol Hill, in Washington, U.S., July 29, 2020. U.S. House Judiciary Committee via REUTERS

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee said on Friday the chief executives of Twitter Inc and Facebook Inc will testify before the panel on Nov. 17 over their decision to block stories that made claims about Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's son.

The Judiciary committee voted on Thursday to subpoena the two CEOs.

FILE PHOTO: Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and fin-tech firm Square, sits for a portrait during an interview with Reuters in London, Britain, June 11, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville

The executives will testify on allegations of anti-conservative bias, the committee said. The companies have come under heavy criticism from conservatives over their decision to flag two New York Post stories as spreading disinformation.

The CEOs of Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc will also testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on Oct. 28 about a key law protecting internet companies.

Republican President Donald Trump and many Republican lawmakers have continued to criticize tech companies for allegedly stifling conservative voices. Both hearings are aimed at discussing the issue.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Chris Reese and Richard Chang)