House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has invited the CEOs of several major tech platforms to testify before Congress regarding the role online forums may play in radicalizing individuals and fostering political violence.

In a statement released Wednesday, Comer emphasized the growing concern over the use of online platforms to fuel extremist ideologies, especially in the wake of the politically motivated assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk. "The politically motivated assassination of Charlie Kirk claimed the life of a husband, father, and American patriot. In the wake of this tragedy, and amid other acts of politically motivated violence, Congress has a duty to oversee the online platforms that radicals have used to advance political violence," Comer said.

The following tech CEOs were invited to testify before the committee:

• Humam Sakhnini, CEO of Discord

• Gabe Newell, president of Valve Corporation

• Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch

• Steve Huffman, CEO of Reddit

Comer made it clear that these platforms must take responsibility for preventing their services from being used for nefarious purposes. “To prevent future radicalization and violence, the CEOs of Discord, Steam, Twitch, and Reddit must appear before the Oversight Committee and explain what actions they will take to ensure their platforms are not exploited for nefarious purposes,” Comer said.

A report from the Washington Post revealed that Tyler Robinson, the suspected assassin of Charlie Kirk, used Discord to inform his friends about the murder, stating, “It was me.” This revelation has raised questions about the role online forums play in fostering violence, with some arguing that such platforms may not be doing enough to prevent radicalization.

In addition to Comer’s remarks, FBI deputy director Dan Bongino stated that there were multiple warning signs before the assassination. “People knew in advance,” Bongino said. “There were people in [the suspect’s] network—friends and family—who had stated that he had become more political… I believe some of his co-workers stated that he had kind of detached himself when the topic of politics came up and walked away from them.”

Fox News Channel’s Laura Ingraham also weighed in, criticizing the left for creating an environment conducive to radicalization. “It’s hard to even watch that now. In their laboratories of radicalism and hatred, Leftists mixed the lethal toxin that triggered this. Now, in the month before the Butler assassination attempt, Joe Biden planted the seed in the public consciousness that a threat needed to be neutralized. Called it a genuine threat, a threat to our freedom, the greatest threat to democracy that was Donald Trump.”

As the investigation into Kirk’s assassination continues, the spotlight on online platforms and their role in fostering extremism is intensifying. Comer’s invitation to the tech CEOs underscores the growing need for accountability from the tech giants that continue to shape online discourse.