Mark Zuckerberg Blames Biden for ‘Government Pressure’ To Censor Facebook
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the House Judiciary Committee that his company’s moderators faced significant pressure from the federal government to censor content on Facebook and Instagram—and that he regretted caving to it. In a letter to Rep. Jim Jordan (R–Ohio), the committee’s chairman, Zuckerberg explained that the pressure also applied to “humor and satire” and that in the future, Meta would not blindly obey the bureaucrats.
“I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it,” wrote Zuckerberg. “We’re ready to pushback if something like this happens again.”
The letter refers specifically to the widespread suppression of contrarian viewpoints relating to COVID-19. As I detailed in the cover story for Reason‘s March 2023 issue, federal bureaucrats pushed Facebook and Instagram to take down content that could theoretically contribute to vaccine hesitancy. President Joe Biden accused Meta of “killing people” by failing to moderate vaccine-skeptical content more aggressively. Eventually, the social media giant outsourced COVID-19 moderation to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leading to a vast crackdown on speech.
Email exchanges between Facebook moderators and CDC officials reveal that the government took a heavy hand in suppressing content. Health officials did not merely vet posts for accuracy but also made pseudo-scientific determinations about whether certain opinions could cause social “harm” by undermining the effo
Article from Reason.com
The Reason Magazine website is a go-to destination for libertarians seeking cogent analysis, investigative reporting, and thought-provoking commentary. Championing the principles of individual freedom, limited government, and free markets, the site offers a diverse range of articles, videos, and podcasts that challenge conventional wisdom and advocate for libertarian solutions. Whether you’re interested in politics, culture, or technology, Reason provides a unique lens that prioritizes liberty and rational discourse. It’s an essential resource for those who value critical thinking and nuanced debate in the pursuit of a freer society.