In the wake of recently revealed documents, it has come to light that the Biden administration allegedly pressured social media giant Facebook to curtail the reach of conservative outlet The Daily Wire while boosting the visibility of established legacy media organizations. The meeting notes, now in the possession of Congress, suggest that Facebook executives were in repeated contact with the White House, discussing ways to align their platform’s content with the administration’s COVID vaccine messaging.
According to these documents, meetings between then-White House Digital Director Rob Flaherty and Facebook executives in 2021 revolved around the suppression of content that contradicted the administration’s COVID vaccine agenda. Flaherty purportedly urged Facebook to modify its algorithm to favor content from mainstream sources like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal over “polarizing” entities such as The Daily Wire. At the time, The Daily Wire held the top position in terms of engagement on Facebook, surpassing both conservative and liberal news outlets.
Flaherty reportedly expressed concern over “misinformation” on the platform contributing to vaccine hesitancy among Americans. The White House sought to address this issue by having Facebook intervene and promote authoritative news sources, aiming to sway public opinion in favor of COVID vaccinations.
Congressman Jim Jordan, who chairs the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, shed further light on the alleged collaboration between the Biden administration and Facebook. Jordan has been gradually unveiling the extent of the administration’s efforts to influence Facebook’s content moderation. He underscored that the administration’s motive appeared to be an attempt to control what users saw on the platform, implying that they doubted the public’s ability to make informed decisions independently.
Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro offered his perspective on the situation, labeling the alleged actions by the Biden White House as a potential violation of the First Amendment. He asserted that government influence on private corporations for the purpose of censorship was a concerning precedent.
As these revelations continue to unfold, questions about the relationship between Big Tech and government regulation come to the forefront. The implications of the alleged collaboration between the Biden administration and Facebook raise concerns about free speech and the balance between private sector autonomy and government influence.
In response to these allegations, conservatives have raised their voices, highlighting potential infringements on freedom of speech and the need to safeguard individuals’ ability to access diverse viewpoints. Legal actions are reportedly being considered by The Daily Wire and its representatives to address the perceived violation of their First Amendment rights.
