Business News, Biting Commentary, Tips and Stories of Lore Directly in Your Email Inbox. Subscribe because it'll make you look older...like smoking...

Facebook’s Zuckerberg Reveals Biden Administration Pressured Facebook on COVID-19 Content

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has recently spoken out against what he describes as attempts by senior Biden administration officials to influence Facebook’s content moderation practices, particularly concerning COVID-19. In a candid letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg claimed that the administration pushed Facebook to remove “certain COVID-19 content including humor and satire.” Despite the pressure, which lasted several months, Zuckerberg expressed regret for not being more vocal in resisting these demands.

Zuckerberg’s revelation comes amidst ongoing scrutiny over the handling of misinformation during the pandemic. He acknowledged some missteps, stating, “I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn’t make today,” and assured that Facebook is prepared to oppose similar government interference in the future.

The White House responded by underscoring its consistent stance on encouraging responsible actions from private companies to safeguard public health during the pandemic. This claim, however, stands in stark contrast to Zuckerberg’s assertion of undue pressure, highlighting a troubling attempt to leverage social media platforms at the expense of free expression.

The dialogue between Facebook and the government underscores a broader challenge as the U.S. approaches another election cycle, with concerns mounting over the potential for AI-generated misinformation to influence public opinion.

Zuckerberg’s efforts to recalibrate Facebook’s image, particularly among conservative users, include public appearances and statements praising figures like Donald Trump. Additionally, Zuckerberg has chosen to step back from politically charged philanthropy through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, aiming to maintain neutrality after previous contributions were criticized for perceived partisan bias.

This ongoing saga reflects the tension between government authorities and social media giants, raising important questions about the balance between public health and free speech. It also serves as a critical reminder to small business owners and solopreneurs of the profound impact governmental actions can have on digital platforms, potentially affecting how they manage their online presence and navigate through misinformation.

This is opt in form at the bottom of the page. No one subscribes here. So be the renegade, go against the grain and jump on it. Chicks (dudes?) will dig you...

We typically get the short end of the stick…from big business, from crappy employers and from crappy governments. So what I’ve (and my esteemed and impeccably dressed cohorts) decided to do is call them out on it…and also give you solutions to start tilting the playing field in your favor.

Get Some Daily Business Love and Make the Sidebar Great Again! That's my way of saying enter your damn email...

(…this is an additional obligatory reminder to subscribe to my list. Marketers are pests that way…)

Defend yourself from unscrupulous government and business shenanigans...

Get my daily email on the state of the little guy (that’s us!) and how we can stick it to the big guy (poo!)…