Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), chair of the House Oversight Committee's cybersecurity subcommittee, is calling on the Biden-Harris administration to provide documentation of any efforts to suppress information on social media platforms.
According to a Fox News report, Mace sent a letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris on Tuesday urging them to "cease and desist" from any such activities. This demand comes in the wake of accusations by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg that the White House engaged in censorship activities.
The congressional inquiry was sparked by a letter from Zuckerberg to House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan in late August. In his communication, the Meta CEO alleged that Biden administration officials had exerted pressure on the company to censor certain COVID-19-related content, including humor and satire.
Rep. Mace's letter to the White House emphasizes the importance of transparency in government operations, particularly as the 2024 presidential election approaches. She expressed concern about the potential influence of social media companies on the political landscape.
In her letter, Mace stated:
In the interest of good government, and to ensure the integrity of the upcoming national election, I am writing to request information on any information suppression campaigns in which the Administration is currently engaged.
The South Carolina representative further urged the administration to halt any ongoing efforts to influence content moderation on social media platforms. She requested that all Executive Branch employees refrain from exerting political pressure on these companies to align content with White House preferences.
The controversy surrounding alleged government involvement in social media censorship has been a contentious issue. Recently, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of the Biden administration in a case brought by Republican attorneys general from Missouri and Louisiana. The plaintiffs had accused the White House of colluding with social media companies to suppress free speech.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, writing for the majority, stated that there was no "concrete link" between the plaintiffs' accusations and the conduct of government officials. However, Republicans view Zuckerberg's recent letter as vindication of their long-standing concerns about censorship.
The timing of Zuckerberg's disclosure, just over two months before Election Day, has intensified the debate about the role of social media in shaping public discourse during election seasons.
Rep. Mace's inquiry also touches on broader concerns about the political influence of social media companies. She referenced a previous investigation by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer regarding how Facebook and Google handled information about an assassination attempt on President Trump on July 13, 2024, in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
The subcommittee chair emphasized the need for clarity on these issues, stating:
Mr. Zuckerberg's latest disclosure arrives at a time when the Presidential election contest is getting into full swing—and amid rising concerns of the political influence of social media companies.
As part of her inquiry, Rep. Mace has requested that the White House provide her subcommittee with any records of communication between administration officials and social media companies. She also seeks communications between federal employees regarding content censorship. The deadline for the White House to submit these documents is set for September 25. The response to this request could potentially shed light on the extent of government involvement in social media content moderation.
Rep. Nancy Mace's demand for transparency from the White House regarding social media censorship highlights ongoing concerns about free speech and government influence in the digital age. The inquiry, prompted by Mark Zuckerberg's allegations of pressure from Biden officials to censor COVID-19 content, comes at a critical time as the 2024 presidential election approaches. With the Supreme Court recently ruling on a related case and Republicans viewing Zuckerberg's letter as vindication, the debate over the role of government in social media content moderation continues to evolve.
