By Charles Switzer
3:28pm PST, Jan 10, 2025
Biden Officials Pressured Meta Over Vaccine Posts
In a bombshell sit-down chat with Joe Rogan on his podcast, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed officials from Joe Biden's administration contacted Meta executives, demanding the removal of Facebook posts that were skeptical of the coronavirus vaccine.
He described these interactions as intense, with officials "screaming" and "cursing" at his team. "Basically it just got to this point [where we told them], 'No, we're not going to take down this thing that was true,'" the tech giant told the podcaster.
Here are five more things the social media pioneer told Rogan about Biden's mouthpieces and more.
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Meta's Stance on Truthful Content
Despite the pressure, Zuckerberg told Rogan that Meta refused to take down posts that accurately described potential side effects of the vaccines. He emphasized the importance of allowing truthful information to remain on the platform, even if it was critical of the vaccine.
He observed how Biden admin officials told Meta execs to remove anything that "said vaccines have side effects."
Zuckerberg emphasized Meta's dedication to maintaining free expression. He mentioned that while the company aimed to reduce the spread of misinformation, it also sought to protect open discourse.
He explained, "We tried to find the right balance between giving people a voice and keeping the platform safe."
Elimination of Third-Party Fact-Checking
He then discussed Meta's decision to end its third-party fact-checking operations, replacing them with a user-driven "Community Notes" system.
He argued that this move would promote free speech and reduce perceived biases in content moderation. "Just take some of the stuff around COVID earlier on in the pandemic, where there were real health implications, but there hadn't been time to fully vet a bunch of the scientific assumptions," he stated.
Criticism of Departing Employees
Addressing internal dissent, Zuckerberg labeled employees who resigned over the policy changes as engaging in "virtue signaling." He defended the new direction, asserting that it aligns with Meta's commitment to free expression.
Political Reactions to Policy Changes
The conversation touched on reactions from political figures, including House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, who praised Meta's shift away from censorship and encouraged other tech companies to follow suit.
These policy shifts come as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. Observers note that Meta's changes may be an effort to align with the incoming administration's stance on free speech and content moderation.
Concerns Over Government Influence
The tech mogul also highlighted how he and other social media heavyweights were well on their way to becoming arbiters of truth, becoming "a new kind of cultural elite that people look up to."
These insights shed light on the challenges Meta faced in balancing governmental pressures with its commitment to free expression during a critical period.
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