WASHINGTON — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says senior Biden administration officials pressured Facebook to “censor” certain COVID-19 content during the pandemic and that the social media giant would resist if faced with such demands again.
In a letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg alleges that officials, including those from the White House, have “repeatedly pressured” Facebook for months to remove “certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire.”
Officials “expressed a lot of frustration” when the company did not agree, he wrote in the letter.
“I believe the government pressure was misguided, and I regret that we have not been more open about it,” Zuckerberg wrote in the Aug. 26 letter, which he posted on the committee’s Facebook page and to his X account.
The letter marks the latest in Zuckerberg’s rejection of efforts to crack down on misinformation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic during and after the 2020 presidential election, largely amid allegations that some posts were wrongly removed or blocked.
“I also think we made some choices that, knowing what we know now and what we know now, we wouldn’t make today,” he said, without elaborating. “We’re prepared to fight back if something like this happens again.”
In response, the White House said in a statement that, “When faced with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety. Our position has been clear and consistent: We believe technology companies and other private actors must consider the effects their actions have on the American people while making independent choices about the information they present.”
Experts warn about US elections this year can be flooded with misinformation on social media with the proliferation of artificial intelligence and other tools to produce fake news stories and content that can mislead voters.
Facebook early 2021 added what Zuckerberg called “credible information” labels for COVID-19 vaccine news. That’s after it was first reported in April 2020 — just as the virus had led to global lockdowns and radical changes to daily life — warn users who shared misinformation about COVID-19.
Conservatives have long ridiculed Facebook and other big tech companies for espousing liberal priorities, accusing them of censorship.
Zuckerberg has attempted to change perceptions of the company on the right by appearing on podcaster Joe Rogan’s 2022 show and complimenting Republican candidate Donald Trump’s response to an assassination attempt as “tough.” He sent Monday’s letter to the House Judiciary Committee, whose chairman, Jordan, has been a longtime Trump ally.
Zuckerberg also said he would no longer donate money to expand voter access through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the company that manages the charity for him and his wife, Priscilla Chan.
The couple earlier $400 million donated to help local election offices prepare for voters in the 2020 presidential election, with money going toward protective equipment to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at polling places, drive-thru polling stations and equipment to process mail-in ballots.
“I know some people believe that this work has benefited one party more than the other,” despite analyses showing otherwise, he said. “My goal is to be neutral and not to play any role whatsoever — or even to appear to play any role. So I don’t plan to make a similar contribution this cycle.”