The U.S. Department of Justice and state attorneys general will meet this month to discuss concerns that social media platforms are "intentionally stifling the free exchange of ideas," the department said on Wednesday.

Its statement did not name Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc., whose executives testified in Congress on Wednesday, but the firms have been harshly criticized by President Donald Trump and some of his fellow Republicans for what they see as an effort to repress conservative voices.

The companies deny any such bias.