MENLO PARK, Calif. – Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has alleged that the Biden administration pressured the company to remove content from its platforms, including posts containing accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines.
In recently surfaced comments, Zuckerberg stated that government officials “pushed us super hard to take down the things that were honestly true,” citing examples like a meme featuring actor Leonardo DiCaprio discussing vaccine side effects.
NEW: Mark Zuckerberg says the Biden administration would call META to scream and curse at them to censor *true* information on their platforms.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 10, 2025
Holy sh*t.
Zuckerberg said the administration would call them and tell them to censor true information including a Leonardo… pic.twitter.com/p5RtiBcPCP
“Anything that says that vaccines might have side effects, you basically need to take down,” Zuckerberg reportedly said, describing interactions where officials allegedly called Meta and demanded content removal.
The claims have sparked renewed debate over the government’s role in moderating online information during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about censorship and free speech.
The White House has not publicly responded to Zuckerberg’s allegations. Meta has faced ongoing scrutiny over its content moderation policies and its handling of pandemic-related information.
Zuckerberg’s remarks reignite controversy over the balance between combating misinformation and protecting free expression online.