Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has expressed regret for yielding to what he described as pressure from the Biden administration to “censor” content on Facebook and Instagram during the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to the chair of a U.S. House committee, Zuckerberg detailed how senior officials, including those from the White House, pressured Meta to remove certain content in 2021.
The White House has defended its actions, stating that it encouraged “responsible actions to protect public health and safety.” Additionally, Zuckerberg revealed that Meta briefly “demoted” content related to President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, ahead of the 2020 election. This action was taken after the FBI warned of a possible Russian disinformation campaign, which later turned out to be unfounded.
Reflecting on the Covid-19 content moderation, Zuckerberg acknowledged that Meta made decisions in response to government pressure that, in hindsight, he wouldn’t repeat. He stated, “I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it.” Zuckerberg also indicated that Meta would be prepared to “push back” if similar circumstances arise in the future.
This letter was addressed to Jim Jordan, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, which is investigating content moderation practices on online platforms. Republicans have hailed the letter as a “big win for free speech.”
In response, the White House reiterated its stance, asserting that tech companies should consider the impact of their actions on the American public while making independent decisions about the information they present.
Hunter Biden controversy
Mark Zuckerberg’s comments regarding Hunter Biden pertain to the controversy surrounding a laptop allegedly abandoned by the president’s son at a repair shop in Delaware, as first reported by the New York Post. The newspaper claimed that emails found on the laptop suggested Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings may have influenced U.S. foreign policy while his father, Joe Biden, was vice president. Both the president and his family have denied any wrongdoing.
The story quickly became a prominent talking point among right-wing circles in the U.S., and it generated significant debate as some social media platforms chose to censor the content. Reflecting on this, Zuckerberg admitted, “In retrospect, we shouldn’t have demoted the story,” adding that Meta has since revised its policies and procedures to prevent a similar situation from occurring again.
Zuckerberg also stated that he has no plans to make further contributions to support electoral infrastructure. In 2020, he and his wife, through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, donated $400 million to help government offices conduct the election during the pandemic. However, misinformation spread rapidly on social media, accusing Zuckerberg of using this contribution as a way to bypass donation limits and influence the election in favor of Joe Biden.
Despite these allegations, Zuckerberg maintained that the donations were intended to be non-partisan. He acknowledged that, despite analyses showing otherwise, some people believe the work favored one political party over another. To avoid any perception of bias, Zuckerberg confirmed that he would not be making a similar contribution in the current election cycle.