Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says senior officials in the Biden administration, including those from the White House, pressured Facebook to censor certain COVID-19 content during the pandemic.
In a letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg said the officials pressured the social media giant for months to remove COVID-19 posts, including humor and satire, and expressed frustration when Facebook did not fully comply.
“I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it,” Zuckerberg wrote in the letter, dated Aug. 26. He vowed that Facebook would resist similar demands in the future.
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The letter reflects Zuckerberg’s latest criticism of efforts to control misinformation during the pandemic and the 2020 election. He acknowledged that some of Facebook’s past decisions might have been mistakes but emphasized that the company is prepared to push back against future government pressure.
The White House defended its actions, stating that it encouraged responsible measures to protect public health during the pandemic while allowing private companies to make independent decisions about the information they present.
Or maybe views that didn’t fit their narrative.
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Zuckerberg has worked to change the perception of Facebook among conservatives, who have long accused tech companies of favoring liberal agendas.
Zuckerberg praised former President Donald Trump’s response to an assassination attempt, calling him a ‘badass.’
He also stated in his letter that he would no longer donate to expand voter access through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, noting that he intends to remain neutral in future elections.
The letter was sent to the House Judiciary Committee, led by Trump ally Rep. Jim Jordan, as part of ongoing scrutiny over tech companies’ handling of information during the pandemic and election cycles.
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