Title: Leaked Emails Reveal Facebook Removed COVID-19 Content Under Pressure from White House, House Investigation Underway
In a startling revelation, internal communications leaked to The Wall Street Journal have exposed Facebook’s compliance with pressure from the White House, leading to the removal of COVID-19 related content, including posts claiming the virus was man-made. The leaked emails, exchanged in August 2021, shed light on the complex relationship between the social media giant, the Biden administration, and ongoing concerns over censorship.
One email sent by Facebook’s President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, questioned the decision to remove instead of label claims regarding the origins of COVID-19. The email highlighted doubts within Facebook about the removal process. Furthermore, a Facebook vice president responsible for content policy revealed that the company was facing pressure from the Biden administration to take more definitive action in terms of content removal.
These revealing email exchanges occurred three months after Facebook reversed its ban on posts asserting COVID-19’s potential man-made origins. The leaked emails also conveyed specific requests from the Biden administration, urging the removal of posts that trivialized or joked about the COVID-19 vaccine, reflecting a broader effort to combat vaccine misinformation.
The House Judiciary Committee, spearheaded by Republicans, obtained these emails and other related internal communications as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged unlawful censorship by the Biden administration on social media platforms. The committee aims to shed light on possible infringements of free speech and political biases within these platforms.
It is worth noting that Facebook pushed back on certain requests from the administration. In one instance, Clegg stated that CEO Mark Zuckerberg would not approve the removal of humorous or satirical content relating to vaccine safety. The communications further highlighted concerns within Facebook that deleting vaccine-hesitant posts could potentially fuel vaccine hesitancy and promote conspiracy theories.
These revelations come amid ongoing changes in Facebook’s COVID content policies. The company has implemented stricter punishments for users spreading COVID-19 misinformation and is planning additional changes to further punish users on Meta-owned platforms.
The Biden administration has actively collaborated with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to combat misinformation about COVID-19 and has adopted measures such as flagging problematic posts. The leaked communications occurred during a period when the administration was also advocating for nationwide vaccine mandates. Coincidentally, Facebook was concurrently seeking a crucial data-transfer deal with Europe, adding another layer of complexity to the relationship between the company and the administration.
As the investigation unfolds, the leaked emails have ignited concerns about the influence of the White House on content moderation practices on social media platforms. Facebook’s compliance with external pressure, the potential suppression of free speech, and the impact on public trust in social media giants will undoubtedly remain points of intense debate and scrutiny.
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