Some of President Biden’s top officials in federal agencies are ramping up their efforts to curb and curtail “disinformation” on social media.
They continue to do so even when many Americans accuse them of trying to stifle voices of conservatives. However, Republicans are choosing to fight back against censoring from the president’s camp.
Louisiana and Missouri Take Action
The state of Louisiana and Missouri have decided not to let the Biden administration get away with censoring.
The states are suing the president, Dr. Anthony Fauci, former White House press secretary Jen Psaki, and other big guns in the administration.
According to the states, Biden and his officials colluded and pressured Big Tech social media companies like Twitter and Facebook to censor pivotal information.
Docs show Facebook and Twitter closely collaborating w/ Dept of Homeland Security, FBI to police “disinfo.” Plans to expand censorship on topics like withdrawal from Afghanistan, origins of COVID, info that undermines trust in financial institutions. https://t.co/Zb3zmI1dQF
— Lee Fang (@lhfang) October 31, 2022
Some of the information they accused Big Tech of censoring include the origin of the COVID-19 virus, Hunter Biden’s laptop story, and the security of mail voting during the COVID pandemic.
However, the Joe Biden administration is still hell-bent on countering “disinformation,” despite strong criticisms from Republicans in Congress and the lawsuit.
Accusations By the GOP
Earlier in May, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disbanded its Disinformation Governance Board after criticisms.
However, reports have it that the agency is still actively fighting against disinformation against topics that include, but are not limited to, vaccines, COVID-19, the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, racial issues, and Ukraine assistance.
Republicans are now blowing the whistle that the agency might still be working with Big Tech to fight disinformation on social media.
GOP Rep. John Katko said there had been multiple reports that DHS continued to act as the determinant of falsehoods and truths on specific topics. According to him, Americans are against the move, as actions like that make the agency unaccountable to the people.
Years of internal @DHSgov memos, emails, and documents — obtained via leaks and an ongoing lawsuit, as well as public documents — illustrate an expansive effort by the agency to influence tech platforms. https://t.co/A6vMZbo7SJ
— The Intercept (@theintercept) November 3, 2022
GOP lawmaker Michael McCaul was also critical of the actions of the DHS. He said if the agency is hell-bent on investigating disinformation about the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, it should start by investigating the actions of the Biden administration itself.
Yet, despite heavy criticisms, Biden’s DHS continues to double down on its stance on disinformation.
The agency said disinformation is an American security threat that must not be left to fester. The DHS then noted that it is responsible for protecting the country from threats to its security, including threats amplified by disinformation.
With the Biden administration’s DHS maintaining its stance on “disinformation,” it is clear that the administration will do everything possible to stifle dissenting voices.
However, one crucial ray of light that gives hope is Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. From all indications, the billionaire will not scoot over and let the Biden administration silence Americans on the platform.
This article appeared in The Political Globe and has been published here with permission.
