Influential Republican Senator Josh Hawley, pictured, a staunch critic of Big Tech, has introduced a bill to Congress that would ban all mergers and acquisitions by any company with a market value greater than US$100 billion.

That category would include the five biggest US tech companies: Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook and Alphabet.

Hawley accuses the biggest social media companies of stifling conservative voices, which he says hold too much market power.

His new bill would effectively ban the tech giants from many major deals and attempt to stop their platforms from favouring their own products over those of rivals.

The bill comes as Congress scrutinises the power of big tech companies and probes antitrust complaints.