NATIONWIDE -- The role of social media companies stands at a crossroads, as questions mount about what, if any, responsibility they have for content and posts.

• Trump is accusing internet giants of suppressing certain posts
• Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey defended the platform saying that while they may be left-leaning, they do not censor based on politics
• NC Rep. Mark Meadows wrote, “If Twitter really claims to be a platform of free ideas … Singling out conservative voices in this way is wrong.”

The president and other prominent conservatives on Capitol Hill are accusing the internet giants of suppressing certain posts – what some refer to as “shadow banning.” In a recent tweet, President Donald Trump argued they are “totally discriminating against Republican/Conservative voices.”

The CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, is pushing back. In an interview with CNN, he defended Twitter, saying that while they may be left-leaning, they do not censor based on politics.

“We are do not look at content with regards to political viewpoint or ideology. We look at behavior,” he said.

Ethan Porter, an assistant professor at The George Washington University, says the tension rests on the “competing responsibilities” that social media companies are becoming tasked with.

On one hand, Porter says social media giants are companies that need to turn a profit. They are responsible to their investors.

On the other hand, he says some argue that social media platforms are also public forums. That raises the big question as to whether they should be allowed to censor certain voices or if they should be responsible for making sure all ideas are fairly heard.

Rep. Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican who heads up the conservative House Freedom Caucus, recently weighed in on this debate via Twitter. He wrote, “If Twitter really claims to be a platform of free ideas … Singling out conservative voices in this way is wrong.”

That second responsibility is still very much up for debate. Porter argues that private companies have never really had to grapple with something like it before.

“It’s going to be an open question as to what those responsibilities are, if there are legal obligations, what benefits may be from those responsibilities. These are all open questions at this point,” Porter said.

And those are questions that lawmakers will undoubtedly wrestle with as they invite social media executives for a hearing on the hill after Labor Day.

In the meantime, Axios is reporting that pressure is being applied to Republican state attorneys general to pursue legal action against the social media companies, including possible consumer fraud.