The Facebook Files: Jim Jordan exposes Biden admin’s pressure on social media speech censorship

The recent wave of subpoenaed internal meeting notes between Facebook top brass and Biden administration officials peel back layers of efforts from the White House to regulate truthful speech on Facebook, especially around the COVID-19 topic in 2021.

The Facebook Files: Jim Jordan exposes Biden admin’s pressure on social media speech censorship
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
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In the third installment of “The Facebook Files”, released on X by Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, a detailed picture emerges of a profound collaboration between the Biden White House and social media titan, Facebook.

The recent wave of subpoenaed internal meeting notes between Facebook top brass and Biden administration officials peel back layers of efforts from the White House to regulate truthful speech on Facebook, especially around the COVID-19 topic in 2021.

Statements made by President Biden, accusing Facebook of “killing people” due to certain publishable narratives, reflect the extent of this control quest. Rob Flaherty, the Director of Digital Strategy for President Biden at the time, consistently urged Facebook to justify its content choices.

The uncovered discussions show Flaherty stating, “We have to explain to President, Ron, people, why there is misinfo on the internet…” He also interrogated Facebook's efforts to curtail traffic from outlets like the New York Post.

He asked, “I’m curious – NY Post churning out articles every day... What is supposed to happen to that from Policy perspective. Does that article get a reduction, labels?”

However, regulating content was not the endgame for the Biden White House, as revealed by the Facebook Files. Flaherty voiced desires for Facebook to go one step further by barring certain users from the platform altogether.

This intensified approach towards censorship and the elimination of dissenting viewpoints saw Flaherty push Facebook to “play ball” and collaborate with the Biden Administration. He cited this as his “dream.”

In an audacious attempt to control narratives, the Biden administration sought to manipulate Facebook's algorithm. They aimed for user feeds to be dominated by outlets such as the New York Times, and fewer posts from the Daily Wire and conservative host Tomi Lahren.

“Why did they do that? Because they didn’t think you were smart enough to decide for yourself,” wrote Jordan. “President Biden’s head of strategic communications and public engagement for the #COVID19 response, Courtney Rowe, mocked Real America’s ability to determine what's true and what isn’t.”

In response to this mounting pressure, a Facebook employee proposed the concept of “containing” content if outright removal wasn't feasible. Flaherty, however, was persistent in his demands for extensive content control.

Ultimately, Facebook gave in. They confessed to limiting the reach of specific posts – including those not breaching their terms and containing verifiable information – in discussions with the White House.

These freshly subpoenaed notes further illustrate the Biden administration's relentless quest to control Facebook content, reinforcing the narrative of an emerging censorship-industrial complex. Rep. Jordan concluded his exposé with a vow of continued revelations.

news Facebook United States Joe Biden Social Media Censorship
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