The Facebook Files: How The CDC Colluded With Meta To Suppress ‘Misinformation’

The CDC Played a direct part in the moderation and censorship of Facebook speech surrounding the COVID Emails from the Biden administration indicating a pandemic suggest that it is possible.

Facebook’s cozy relationship with the CDC was revealed after the state of Missouri sued the federal government for alleged censorship of citizens in violation of the First Amendment. Robby Soave, Reason Editor of Reason, presented the nature and content of the communication in a series reminiscent of Twitter files. Also included were screenshots of the relevant emails from the CDC to Meta employees.

“The CDC had significant input on pandemic-era policies at Meta,” Soave wrote. “The CDC was consulted frequently, at times daily, receiving constant updates about which topics were trending, and giving recommendations on what content to flag as false or misleading.”

2. Meta’s pandemic-era policies were heavily influenced by the CDC. The CDC was consulted regularly, often daily. It received constant updates on which topics were hot and made recommendations about what content to flag for misleading or false. https://t.co/rEXxY1VDk3

— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) January 19, 2023

The revelations mirror disclosures about Twitter’s close cooperation with government officials in suppressing claims that went against the official line were made voluntarily after Elon Musk bought that platform.

The CDC began monitoring Facebook posts about the safety and efficacy COVID vaccines. It also highlighted certain ideas it wanted to ban and suppress. Facebook was eager to acquiesce — one moderator went so far as to thank the CDC for “help in debunking” These are the claims.

One claim that was widely known and drew attention to the CDC was the “lab leak” theory — the notion that COVID was biologically engineered — an idea the CDC dismissed as technically possible, but highly improbable. Shortly after the exchange, Facebook began to crack down on accounts and users that promoted the lab leak theory.

By July of 2021, the CDC was flagging posts for concerns beyond factual accuracy — claims that “may cause harm” Induce or prevent “vaccine refusal” They were also flagged as being subject to censorship.

“Meta gave the CDC de facto power to police COVID misinfo on the platforms; the CDC took the position that essentially any erroneous claim could contribute to vaccine hesitancy and cause social harm. This was a recipe for vast silencing, at the feds’ implicit behest.” After an FDA emergency authorization was granted for COVID vaccines for children, Facebook agreed that it would censor any posts that suggested the vaccine wasn’t safe.

The CDC watched out for mockery and criticism of Anthony Fauci (ex-Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases).

11. Meta kept the CDC informed of any criticisms of Anthony Fauci. One email alerted the CDC that Facebook users were making fun of Fauci’s decision to change his mind on double-masking and masking. The CDC responded that this information was correct. “very helpful.” pic.twitter.com/CUM5wwORtM

— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) January 19, 2023

Meta employees refer to their colleagues at the CDC by referring to them as personal details in the email exchanges. “colleagues” they are working to offer them numerous channels to report and flag content. However, co-operation may not have been totally voluntary — members of the White House staff routinely and publicly berated Facebook and other social media platforms for not taking down offending posts fast enough, and as recently as July of 2021, President Biden himself said Facebook was “killing people.”

“Facebook is a private entity, and thus is within its rights to moderate content in any fashion it sees fit,” Soave completed. “But the federal government’s efforts to pressure social media companies cannot be waved away. Such an arrangement—whereby private entities, at the behest of the government, become ideological enforcers—is unacceptable. And it may be illegal.”

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