CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, has revealed that the Biden administration pressured his company to “censor” content related to COVID-19 during the pandemic.
In a letter dated August 26 to the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg expressed regret for not addressing this pressure sooner and for other content moderation decisions made across Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
In his letter, Zuckerberg detailed how, in 2021, high-level officials from the Biden White House persistently urged Meta to remove specific COVID-19 content, including satire and humor. This pressure came amidst widespread criticism from public officials who accused social media platforms of failing to adequately combat misinformation about coronavirus vaccines. President Joe Biden had famously criticized platforms like Facebook, stating they were “killing people” by allowing false information to spread.
Zuckerberg’s letter, posted by the Judiciary Committee on Facebook, describes the frustration expressed by the White House when Meta did not fully comply with these demands. He stated, “I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret we were not more outspoken about it. I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn’t make today.”
The White House responded by clarifying that its efforts were focused on encouraging responsible actions to safeguard public health. “Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should consider the impacts of their actions on the American people while making independent decisions about the information they present,” the administration stated.
Zuckerberg has recently sought to improve relations with conservative users, including praising Republican figures and engaging with right-wing media. This move comes as the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Representative Jim Jordan, is a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump.
The Judiciary Committee, led by Jordan, has hailed Zuckerberg’s letter as a “big win for free speech,” suggesting that the letter confirms allegations of censorship by Meta. In addition to addressing past content moderation issues, Zuckerberg also declared his decision to refrain from making any contributions to election infrastructure this year. This follows his $400 million donation in the 2020 election cycle through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which was criticized by some as politically motivated.
As the November election approaches, Zuckerberg’s statements and actions continue to stir debate about the role of tech companies in shaping public discourse and their interactions with government authorities.
