Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, revealed in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee that his company faced significant pressure from the Biden administration in 2021 to censor certain Covid-19 related content. In his letter, Zuckerberg described how senior officials from the White House repeatedly urged Meta to remove or restrict content, including humor and satire, that they deemed inappropriate during the pandemic.

Zuckerberg expressed regret over the company’s response to this pressure, admitting that with the benefit of hindsight, Meta should have been more resistant to such demands. He stressed that his company should not yield to governmental pressure on content standards and pledged to push back against any future attempts to influence their policies.

The controversy dates back to July 2021 when President Biden criticized social media platforms for spreading misinformation that he claimed was “killing people.” Although Biden later softened his stance, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy had labeled social media misinformation as a serious public health threat. The White House defended its actions, stating that it encouraged responsible measures to safeguard public health while allowing tech companies to make independent decisions about the content they host.

In addition to the Covid-19 content issue, Zuckerberg’s letter also addressed Meta’s handling of the Hunter Biden laptop story. Zuckerberg noted that during the 2020 election, the FBI alerted Meta to potential Russian disinformation related to Hunter Biden and Burisma. This led Meta to temporarily downrank the New York Post’s reporting on the matter until it could be verified. Zuckerberg admitted that this decision was a mistake and that the story should not have been demoted.

The letter has intensified scrutiny from Republican lawmakers who have long accused Meta of bias against conservative viewpoints. The GOP members of the House Judiciary Committee highlighted Zuckerberg’s admissions as evidence of political censorship. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg has pledged that Meta will strive for neutrality in future elections and content decisions, reflecting a broader effort to address criticisms and restore public trust.