Fox Business – Tech Firms Find Washington Isn’t So Hands-Off Anymore

While still early, the tech industry may be past its honeymoon period and headed for a time of stricter scrutiny and regulation – something familiar to many large and longer established industries.

September 15, 2017

‘New scrutiny by Congress of Facebook Inc. over its acceptance of Russian ad buys in the 2016 campaign is just the latest in a string of political challenges facing technology firms, which long enjoyed a hands-off approach from Washington aimed at fostering their growth.

It was already a tough year for Silicon Valley in Washington, where lawmakers have been pushing proposals that could roil the industry, including measures on net neutrality, privacy and liability. The industry’s standing suffered again this week when lawmakers laid plans for public hearings to examine whether Facebook and other social-media platforms were used by foreign governments during the 2016 campaign to manipulate the U.S. election. Lawmakers also signaled they are considering new legislation to address online spending by foreign adversaries — a potential blow to the firms’ cherished freedom from close government oversight.’

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