In a candid revelation, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has expressed regret over conceding to pressure from the Biden administration to censor COVID-19 content on Facebook during the height of the pandemic.
Writing to the House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg detailed the repeated urges from senior administration officials to remove posts they classified as misinformation, including pieces of humor and satire. He acknowledged that Meta's response to these demands fell short and admitted that the company could have handled the situation more effectively.
\"I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it,\" Zuckerberg stated in his letter addressed to Representative Jim Jordan, the committee's Republican chairman. He emphasized that Meta should uphold its content standards without yielding to external pressures from any administration.
This admission marks a significant stance from one of the leading voices in the tech industry, highlighting the ongoing tension between social media platforms and government regulations. Zuckerberg further assured that Meta is now better prepared to resist similar pressures in the future, aiming to maintain the integrity and independence of its content moderation policies.
The White House responded by defending its actions during the pandemic, asserting that the administration advocated for responsible measures to safeguard public health and safety. A spokesperson reiterated that tech companies should weigh the impact of their decisions on the American populace while making autonomous choices about the information they disseminate.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Zuckerberg's acknowledgment sheds light on the delicate balance between combating misinformation and preserving free expression online.
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Zuckerberg regrets yielding to Biden pressure on COVID content
cgtn.com
