Attorney General Bailey Issues a Demand Letter to Google and Meta in Investigation Over Censorship of Firearm-Related Content

June 27, 2025 12:17 pm

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that he is issuing a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) to Google, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, within Meta Platforms, Inc., to determine whether the companies have engaged in unlawful business practices by suppressing lawful speech and commerce related to firearms and ammunition on its platforms. The goal of the investigation is to expose any corporate misconduct and restore transparency and fairness to online platforms.

“When Big Tech companies hold the power to control what Americans see, say, and believe, they hold the power to reshape the nation,” continued Attorney General Bailey. “We will not allow Silicon Valley to rewrite the Bill of Rights from behind a firewall.”

The CID, issued under the authority of Section 407.040 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, is a powerful investigative tool granted to the Attorney General. It compels the production of documents, communications, and other materials relevant to potential violations of Missouri’s consumer protection laws. In this case, the investigation will examine whether Google and Meta have used deception, fraud, false promises, misrepresentation, or other unfair practices, such as demonetizing, delisting, or downranking content, to suppress speech related to the legal acquisition, ownership, and use of firearms.

The demand was prompted by troubling allegations that Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are obscuring or penalizing content related to firearms, accessories, hunting, personal protection, and related political viewpoints. Because Missouri law prohibits companies from misleading consumers about their services, our Office is demanding that Google and Meta provide relevant documents, policies, and communications.

As stated in the CID, “The right to ‘keep and bear arms’ is one of the most sacred and cherished rights guaranteed to the citizens of the State of Missouri under the Constitution of the United States.” The document continues by saying, “If citizens are prevented from owning modern firearms, the government holds a monopoly on the use of force, and as history has demonstrated time and again, this consolidation of power inevitably leads to the violation of human rights and the trampling of individual liberty.”

This action aligns with the Attorney General’s mission to defend constitutional rights, hold corporations accountable, and ensure that Missourians are free to exercise their rights without algorithmic censorship or ideological bias.

“The right to keep and bear arms is the cornerstone of every other constitutional freedom,” said Attorney General Bailey. “If tech giants are colluding to silence lawful expression about firearms or shut down commerce protected under the Second Amendment, Missourians deserve to know.”

The full CID to Google can be read here.

The full CID to Meta can be read here.