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Zuckerberg: White House Pressured Facebook Over COVID Info

Zuckerberg: White House Pressured Facebook Over COVID Info

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The Facts

  • In a letter to US Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) made public Tuesday but dated Aug. 26, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed that Biden administration officials "repeatedly pressured" Facebook to take down "certain COVID-19 content" over the course of several months in 2021.

  • Zuckerberg expressed regret that his company wasn't more "outspoken" about the alleged pressure and wrote that Meta "made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information," it wouldn't make now or in the future.

  • Separately, Zuckerberg also expressed regret for suppressing reports about Hunter Biden's laptop prior to the 2020 presidential election. Zuckerberg said the FBI "warned" Meta about "a potential Russian disinformation operation" but that, in retrospect, Meta "shouldn't have demoted the story."

The Spin

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