Welcome to Axis ProRata, where we get you smarter about the collision of tech, business, and politics.

Sponsored by Bridge Bank. Be bold. Venture wisely. I'm Danper Mack. On today's show, putting Uber into context and why coffee is no longer essential.

But first, conservatives versus social media.

So Senate Republicans yesterday held a subcommittee meeting hearing titled,

Stifling Free Speech, Technological Censorship, and the Public Discourse.

It was basically a chance to grill Facebook and Twitter executives over perceived political

bias on their platforms, which Republicans and others on the right regularly complain about.

So, a few things to know. First, only Twitter and Facebook set representatives. Google didn't.

Second, Senate Democrats objected to the purpose of the hearing. Third, there is not yet any

statistical evidence that Twitter or Facebook's moderation, which is primarily done by algorithm,

disproportionately affects

Republicans or Republican office holders.

Fourth, it's nonetheless still an article of faith on the right that left-leaning Silicon

Valley is putting its finger on the scale.

And there is a series of anecdotal examples that they believe support that claim.

The bottom line, big tech is under fire from both sides of the

political aisle, and hearings like yesterday may be a predicate to stronger regulation. In 20 seconds,

we'll go deeper with Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who chaired yesterday's hearing. But first,

this. Bridgebank believes in the risk takers, the game changers, and the disruptors, those committed

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