Google CEO testimony to Congress - LIVE: Sundar Pichai asked why Trump appears when you search 'idiot' amid grilling about data collection

Sundar Pichai says Google has 'no plans' to launch censored search engine in China

Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies to Congress over privacy and data collection

Weeks before Democrats take over control of the House of Representatives, Republicans on the Judiciary Committee are questioning Google CEO Sundar Pichai on issues including transparency, data collection, and filtering.

This is the latest of several hearings Republicans have set up with tech company executives, which they claim have shown liberal bias in their dealings.

Google refused to send a representative the last time the Judiciary interviewed the top brass of social media companies, including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. But, since then, the Mr Pichai has held closed door meetings with members of Congress to discuss what Republicans have branded as liberal bias at Google.

Follow updates from the hearing below and watch a live stream of the testimony here.

Please allow a moment for the live blog to update

[11 December 2018 15:04 · Clark Mindock]

Hello and welcome to our live blog of the congressional testimony of Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

We are waiting on Mr Pichai to arrive.

[11 December 2018 15:06 · Clark Mindock]

In attendance in Washington today is Alex Jones, the conservative conspiracy theorist who has had plenty of problems with social media over the past year.

Jones was in attendance the last time tech CEOs came to testify before Congress, and tends to get into squabbles with folks on a regular basis.

We'll see if any Jones news comes out of today's hearing when the Judiciary Committee calls a recess.

[11 December 2018 15:08 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Pichai and members of the Judiciary Committee are now arriving.

[11 December 2018 15:10 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Goodlatte has opened the hearing, and recognized House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy as a witness.

Mr McCarthy has thanked Mr Pichai, and called Google one of the most valuable companies in the world.

[11 December 2018 15:12 · Clark Mindock]

Mr McCarthy cited a Wall Street Journal statistic that said that 90 per cent of internet searches goes through Google.

He has also said that there is a widening gap of trust between users and technology companies. He went on to suggest that political biases must not seep into Google's search product.

[11 December 2018 15:13 · Clark Mindock]

Mr McCarthy is now discussing the reported plan by Google to open a censored search engine in China. He then discussed political suppression by the Chinese Communist Party, and suggested that those values run counter to the values of Americans.

[11 December 2018 15:13 · Clark Mindock]

Here is a live link to video of the hearing: 

The IndependentWatch Google CEO Sundar Pichai face a grilling on privacy by Congress

[11 December 2018 15:14 · Clark Mindock]

Mr Picahai has now taken his seat at the witness table.

[11 December 2018 15:18 · Clark Mindock]

Chairman Goodlatte says that Google is able to collect an amount of data that would make the "NSA blush".

He said that most Americans probably have no idea how much information Google might be collecting about them when they use the platform.

[11 December 2018 15:21 · Clark Mindock]

Chairman Goodlatte has now said he is interested in how Google handles objectionable content.

He also has mentioned algorithmic screening, and the dangers that tinkering with that system could have. He then claimed that some Google employees have considered tinkering with the algorithm.