Zuckerberg’s ‘COVID-19 censorship’ remarks spark renewed debate

ISTANBUL

Social media censorship and the influence of US administration officials on social media companies have reignited debates over platform independence.

The relationship between US-based social media companies and the administration has long been contentious, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s comments on censorship continuing to resonate.

In a recent interview on the Joe Rogan podcast, Zuckerberg said the Biden administration had attempted to censor anti-vaccine voices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"These people from the Biden administration would call up our team, scream at them and curse," he said.

- Snowden exposed connection between social media and US government

Computer expert and former CIA systems administrator Edward Snowden’s leaks in 2013 first exposed the collaboration between social media companies and the US government, shedding light on government influence over these platforms.

- State pressure on Twitter over COVID-19 censorship

While Snowden’s disclosures captured widespread attention, discussions about the relationship between social media and the state faded until 2022, when Elon Musk acquired Twitter, now known as X.

The release of the "Twitter Files" brought the issue back into the spotlight.

The 10th disclosure, made by Free Press reporter David Zweig, revealed that US administrations had pressured multiple tech giants including Twitter, Facebook, Google and Microsoft over their handling of COVID-19 content.

Zweig noted that while the Trump administration raised concerns about content potentially inciting panic early in the pandemic, the Biden administration similarly pressured companies to promote its public health message, saying "be very afraid of Covid and do exactly what we say to stay safe."

Notably, the suspension of former New York Times reporter and anti-vaccine personality Alex Berenson’s account came under similar scrutiny following President Biden’s comment that COVID-19-related content on social media was "killing people."

- Palestine supporter accounts censored

Following a cross-border attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 that led to a wider conflict between Isreal and Palestine, global criticism intensified over the censorship of Palestine supporter accounts, especially on Meta’s platforms. Photos of Palestinian leaders were blocked and user engagement with news outlets from Gaza and the West Bank significantly declined.

*Writing by Asiye Latife Yilmaz in Istanbul