The FTC announcement said that "censorship by technology platforms is not just un-American, it is potentially illegal." Tech platforms' actions "may harm consumers, affect competition, may have resulted from a lack of competition, or may have been the product of anti-competitive conduct," the FTC said.

The agency invites people to testify about platforms blocking or impeding their ability to share ideas, which new FTC Chair Andrew N. Ferguson calls 'un-American [and] potentially illegal.'

The Federal Trade Commission announced on Thursday that it will launch a public inquiry into "censorship by tech platforms," soliciting comments from