Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg Says White House ‘Pressured’ Meta to Censor and Delete Posts

Meta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg alleged that Facebook was “pressured” by the US government to censor content related to Covid-19 during the global pandemic and that he regrets the company’s decision to accede to the demands.

My account was permanently deleted. We filed a lawsuit – the very first – challenging Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act under the First Amendment.It was dismissed for lack of standing. What recourse do the American people have? Elections are stolen.

Sounds like a First Amendment violation https://t.co/RjEF8gU0A0

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2024

Today Mark Zuckerberg admitted in writing that the Biden Admin pressured Facebook to censor Covid-19 content.

Here is Mayorkas lying about it under oath in 2022. 100% absolutely committing perjury. When is Mayorkas going to prison? pic.twitter.com/J1AXl4VrEl

— MAZE (@mazemoore) August 27, 2024

Zuckerberg says the government pressured him to censor speech, “including humor and satire.” pic.twitter.com/hGrEsmn00X

— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) August 27, 2024

Mark Zuckerberg says White House ‘pressured’ Meta to ‘censor’ Covid-19 content

By: CNBC, Aug 27 2024:

Key Points

• The Biden Administration “pressured” Facebook-parent Meta to “censor” content related to Covid-19, the social media giant’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg had alleged.
• Zuckerberg said it was ultimately Meta’s decision to take down any content, but he noted he believes that the so-called “government pressure was wrong.”
  Zuckerberg said Meta
  made some choices that, “with the benefit of hindsight and new information,” the tech giant would not make again.

The Biden Administration “pressured” Facebook-parent Meta to “censor” content related to Covid-19, the social media giant’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg alleged, adding that he regrets some of the decisions taken in relation to the U.S. government’s requests.

“In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn’t agree,” Zuckerberg wrote in a letter to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee.

The letter was posted on the Committee’s Facebook page and on its account on the X social media platform on Monday.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the letter’s authenticity to CNBC.

Zuckerberg said it was ultimately Meta’s decision to take down any content, but he noted he believes that the so-called “government pressure was wrong.”

“I regret that we were not more outspoken about it,” Zuckerberg said.

NBC News has reached out to the White House for comment Tuesday morning, but did not immediately receive a response.

In a statement to Politico, the White House said: “When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety.”

“Our position has been clear and consistent: we believe tech companies and other private actors should take into account the effects their actions have on the American people, while making independent choices about the information they present,” it added.

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