Source: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) has released a batch of documents, referred to as “The Facebook Files, Part 1,” proving Facebook’s compliance with the Biden regime’s request to censor specific content on its platform.
Through a series of tweets on Thursday, Rep. Jordan said that these never-before-released internal documents, obtained via Judiciary Committee subpoena, proved that Facebook and Instagram altered their content moderation policies and censored posts under pressure from the White House.
“During the first half of 2021, social media companies like Facebook faced tremendous pressure from the Biden White House—both publicly and privately—to crack down on alleged “misinformation,” Jordan wrote.
According to an internal email in April 2021 for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg, an employee stated Facebook was continually pressed by “external stakeholders,” including the Biden White House, to remove certain posts.
“What did the Biden White House want removed? A meme. That’s right, even memes weren’t spared from the Biden White House’s censorship efforts,” said Jordan.
The meme has now garnered 385k shares since April 2021, and has 19k reactions.
What did the Biden White House want removed?
A meme.
That’s right, even memes weren’t spared from the Biden White House’s censorship efforts. pic.twitter.com/6BhDxTHsUi
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 27, 2023
“We are seeking your guidance on whether to take more aggressive action against certain vaccine discouraging content,” according to the email.
“We are facing continued pressure from external stakeholders, including the White House and the press, to remove more COVID-19 vaccine discouraging content. For example, we recently shared with the White House a list of the top 100 vaccine-related posts on FB in the U.S. for the week of 4/5-4/11. While authoritative information dominated the list, the White House was concerned that the #3 post was a vaccine discouraging humorous meme, and they called on us to delete the meme,” the email concluded.
Source: Rep. Jim Jordan
Another internal communication in the same month, from Facebook’s President for Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, highlighted an interaction with Andy Slavitt, a Senior Advisor to President Biden. Slavitt was reportedly “outraged” that Facebook didn’t remove a particular post.
Source: Rep. Jim Jordan
According to Jordan, Clegg’s response emphasized the potential violation of free expression norms in the US; however, this argument was seemingly disregarded by Biden’s Senior Advisor, Andy Slavitt.
“I countered that removing content like that would represent a significant incursion into traditional boundaries of free expression in the US but he replied that the post was directly comparing Covid vaccines to asbestos poisoning in a way which demonstrably inhibits confidence in Covid vaccines amongst those the Biden Administration is trying to reach. [It would be very helpful if someone could please check whether this content was also available on YT – Andy’s assumption is that YT would never accept something like this],” according to the email.
Brian Rice, Facebook’s VP of public policy, said in an April email that the company’s relationship with the Biden regime was at a “crossroads” because of Slavitt’s demand.
In the spirit of repairing relations and avoiding potentially damaging consequences, Facebook officials considered reassessing their ties with the Biden regime.
““Given what is at stake here, it would also be a good idea if we could regroup and take stock of where we are in our relations with the [White House], and our internal methods too,” according to the email.
But Facebook wanted to repair its relationship with the White House to avoid adverse action:
“Given what is at stake here, it would also be a good idea if we could regroup and take stock of where we are in our relations with the [White House], and our internal methods too.” pic.twitter.com/nLbYkf2quy
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 27, 2023
These files imply this wasn’t an isolated incident. According to the documents, the Biden regime demanded to know why Facebook hadn’t censored a video from Tucker Carlson.
The Gateway Pundit previously reported that Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry released communications between Joe Biden’s Director of Digital Strategy, Joe Flaherty, pressuring Facebook to censor Tucker Carlson of FOX News.
Joe Flaherty demands to know what “reduction” of the information looks like on Facebook. The White House is very upset that the FOX News host is questioning the dangerous experimental vaccine.
Clear effort at government-directed social media censorship @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/iDhcSBFFjo
— AG Jeff Landry (@AGJeffLandry) January 6, 2023
As a result, Facebook prepared talking points for Clegg, indicating they had demoted the said video by 50% to appease the White House’s demands, despite the post not violating any policies.
According to the email:
Thanks Nick-here are some talking points that you can use if Andy raises Rob’s questions:
How was this [Tucker Carlson] post not violative?
• while we remove content that explicitly directs people not to get the vaccine, as well as content that contains explicit misrepresentations about vaccines, we reviewed this content in detail and it does not violate those policies.
Moreover: you say reduced and demoted. What does that mean? There’s 40,000 shares on the video. Who is seeing it now? How many? How effective is that?
• The video is receiving 50% demotion for seven days as it is in the queue to be fact checked
Source: Rep. Jim Jordan
The public pressure on Facebook escalated in July 2021 when President Biden accused Facebook and other social media platforms of “killing people” by not censoring alleged “misinformation.
Public pressure mounted as well.
In July 2021, President Biden publicly denounced Facebook and other social media platforms, claiming they were “killing people” by not censoring alleged “misinformation.”https://t.co/fv8843rkAD
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 27, 2023
According to Rep. Jordan, on August 2, 2021, under pressure from the Biden administration, Facebook announced it will be making changes to its policies.
August 2, 2021:
“[Facebook’s] Leadership asked Misinfo Policy . . . to brainstorm some additional policy levers we can pull to be more aggressive against . . . misinformation. This is stemming from the continued criticism of our approach from the [Biden] administration.” pic.twitter.com/bfNSeujQI7
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 27, 2023
Rep. Jordan added that Facebook not only bowed to the White House’s pressure but also changed its policies under the directive of Biden’s Surgeon General, thereby censoring the “disinformation dozen.”
Source: Rep. Jim Jordan
Source: Rep. Jim Jordan
Rep. Jordan said that these and other documents produced for the Committee demonstrate an abuse of power by the Biden Regime, a totalitarian system coercing Facebook into censoring American citizens and hindering open discourse on critical public issues.
This development is related to a lawsuit filed by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and former Missouri Attorney General and current Senator Eric Schmitt, alleging the President of the United States and other senior officials in the Biden Administration violated the First Amendment by directing social-media companies to censor viewpoints that conflict with the government’s messaging on Covid-19 and election integrity concerns relating to the 2020 general election.
Jim Hoft of The Gateway Pundit is a key plaintiff in the lawsuit filed at the State of Missouri, State of Missouri ex rel. Schmitt, et al. v. Joseph R. Biden, Jr., et al., 3:22-cv-01213.
Additional plaintiffs, joining Hoft and the State of Missouri, include the State of Louisiana, epidemiologists Drs. Jayanta Bhattacharya and Martin Kulldorff, Dr. Aaron Kheriaty and Jill Hines.
The collusion of the Biden administration, in coordination with multiple departments within the United States government and big tech, has led to the censorship, silencing and de-platforming of individuals and organizations and it is a direct assault on the First Amendment.
The Gateway Pundit’s current Facebook page is heavily censored and at risks of being unpublished. Our page was also demonetized. See screenshots below:
Source: The Gateway Pundit Facebook page
Source: The Gateway Pundit Facebook page
Source: The Gateway Pundit Facebook page
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