The algorithms driving social media platforms are some of the most powerful on the planet, shaping what billions of people read and watch on a daily basis. Understandably, those algorithms are under increasing scrutiny, including from Congress as it looks for ways to rein in that power. On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee convened to ask platform representatives some pointed questions about harmful viral content, polarization and the incentives driving this algorithmically governed media world we all now inhabit. Defending their platforms, representatives from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube coalesced around a couple of common retorts to deflect the pressure: user control and platform transparency.