Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms Inc, claims that the US Government exerted pressure on Facebook during the global pandemic to censor specific content relating to Covid-19. In a letter to the US House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg admitted to regretting the social media giant’s decision to comply with these demands.
Zuckerberg alleges that top officials from President Biden’s administration, including the White House, repeatedly put pressure on the company’s teams to censor certain content, including satirical and comical posts regarding Covid-19. Zuckerberg said the decision to remove content was Meta’s to make, but he regrets not being more vocal against the government’s undue pressure.
Throughout the pandemic, Facebook faced criticism from individuals opposing lockdowns, vaccinations, and face mask mandates for removing posts they judged to contain misinformation or violate their policies. In total, over 20 million posts were removed in just over a year. Zuckerberg’s stance echoes that of other social media leaders, like former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who have expressed concern over past instances of rigorous content moderation.
The extent to which social media companies should control user-generated content has become a topic of international debate. While some platforms advocate for a laissez-faire approach, some authorities argue that such an attitude may breed illegal activities. In an example, Pavel Durov, co-founder of Telegram, was arrested by French officials for not effectively fighting crime on his platform, including the spread of illicit child content.
With the upcoming US presidential election featuring Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, Zuckerberg emphasises his aim is to remain neutral. He reiterates his intent not to influence the outcome in any manner or even to seem like he is influencing, in a letter also posted on the House Judiciary Committee’s Facebook page. He refers specifically to his involvement in supporting electoral infrastructure during the previous presidential cycle.