Two U.S. senators, Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren, have expressed concerns about the potential acquisition of Electronic Arts by an investor group that includes Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
In letters to the U.S. Treasury Secretary and EA CEO Andrew Wilson, they warn of potential national security threats due to the $55 billion deal.
According to the plan, EA will cease to be a public company and will become privately held. The investor consortium includes the Saudi Arabian Sovereign Fund, the American fund Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner's investment company. The deal involves a $20 billion loan.
In the letter, the senators question how EA intends to maintain its independence in the face of an "authoritarian government with a history of using technology to pressure critics and censor freedom of speech." Risks mentioned include possible surveillance of U.S. citizens, Saudi propaganda, and access to user data and artificial intelligence technologies.
The lawmakers have called on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to examine the deal and publish its findings. The agreement includes a $1 billion penalty if the purchase is not approved by American regulators.
