Meta criticises US pressure to remove Covid-19 content from Facebook

With two months to go before a tight presidential election that is drawing intense attention to online misinformation, Republicans seized on the letter as a triumph.

It’s a “huge victory for free speech,” the conservative-controlled committee’s X account posted.

In recent months, Republican representatives in Congress have attacked social media and technology companies, alleging they suppress or censor conservative views.

The White House has defended its actions during the pandemic, which has killed more than a million people in the United States amid political battles over vaccines and attempts to limit the spread of the virus.

“In the face of a deadly pandemic, this administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety,” a White House spokesman said Tuesday.

He added that, from his perspective, technology companies and other private actors should take into account the effects of their actions.

Zuckerberg’s letter was addressed to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, a past critic of the tech mogul, and was welcomed by Republicans.

“I feel strongly that we should not have compromised our content standards under pressure from any administration under any approach, and we stand ready to respond if something like this happens again,” Zuckerberg wrote.

With information from AFP.