Biden goes after Facebook for eliminating ‘fact-checkers’: ‘Really shameful’

Biden’s statements came on the same day Mark Zuckerberg appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, revealing that the Biden administration had actively pressured Meta to censor content related to COVID-19

President Joe Biden harshly criticized Meta’s decision to eliminate its professional fact-checking program in favor of user-driven community notes, labeling the move as “really shameful.” His comments, delivered during a press conference following a speech on economic progress, reveal a concerning push for increased control over online discourse.

Biden’s statements came on the same day Mark Zuckerberg appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, revealing that the Biden administration had actively pressured Meta to censor content related to COVID-19. Zuckerberg disclosed that officials repeatedly contacted Meta, demanding the removal of memes and truthful posts critical of COVID-19 vaccines. He recounted how the White House would “call up our team and scream at them and curse” over content they deemed unacceptable.

Zuckerberg pointed to a specific incident where the administration pushed for the deletion of a meme featuring Leonardo DiCaprio pointing at a TV with a caption suggesting future legal actions over the COVID-19 vaccine. Zuckerberg resisted, stating, “No we’re not we’re not going to take down humor,” emphasizing that his team would not remove content that was humorous and not factually false. Despite Meta’s history of censoring similar content, Zuckerberg insisted, “Basically, it just got to this point where we were like no, we’re not going to take down things that are true. That’s ridiculous.”

Zuckerberg also said that the Biden administration pressured for the censorship of truthful information.

“Basically, it just got to this point where we were like no, we’re not going to take down things that are true,” Zuckerberg said. “That’s ridiculous.”

Zuckerberg’s decision to dismantle the platform’s fact-checking system announced just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, has drawn polarized reactions. While Democrats decry the change, Republicans, including Trump, have long accused Meta of silencing conservative voices. Zuckerberg openly admitted that scaling back content moderation might allow more harmful content to circulate, but he also recognized the need to move away from biased oversight.

Biden criticized the autonomy of private tech leaders, stating, “The idea that, you know, a billionaire can buy something and say, ‘By the way, from this point on, we’re not going to fact-check anything.’ And you know, when you have millions of people reading, going online, reading this stuff … I think it’s really shameful.”

Reprinted with permission from Reclaim The Net.

Related Topics:#Censorship #ElonMusk #FreeSpeech #JoeBiden #LifeSiteNews #Meta #ReclaimTheNet CommunityNotes DanFrieth Facebook FactChecking

Up Next

Two major fires continue to burn in SoCal

Don't Miss

Black Rock latest to leave Net Zero Alliance

Todayville

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

BC overhauls safer supply program in response to widespread pharmacy scam

International / 3 hours ago

Mexico to reform constitution after Trump designates cartels as terrorist organizations

Business / 4 hours ago

Argentina’s Javier Milei gives Elon Musk chainsaw

Business

Argentina’s Javier Milei gives Elon Musk chainsaw

Published on February 21, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

Elon Musk made a dramatic appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday, wielding a chromed-out chainsaw gifted by Argentina’s President Javier Milei. The prop symbolized Musk’s commitment to slashing bureaucratic red tape through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Key Details:

Musk received the chainsaw from Milei before his sit-down interview at CPAC in Maryland.
The chainsaw was engraved with Milei’s catchphrase, “Viva la libertad carajo!” which translates to “Long live freedom, Goddammit!”
Musk brandished the chainsaw on stage, declaring it the “chainsaw for bureaucracy” to a cheering conservative crowd.

Diving Deeper:

Argentina’s President Javier Milei presented the symbolic chainsaw to Elon Musk ahead of his interview at CPAC, reinforcing their shared vision of reducing governmental influence. The chainsaw, emblazoned with Milei’s signature slogan, was meant to represent Musk’s mission with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut waste, fraud, and abuse within federal agencies.

Musk enthusiastically accepted the gift and held it aloft, declaring it the “chainsaw for bureaucracy.” The bold gesture was well-received by the conservative audience, with Musk adding a simple yet effective rallying cry: “Chainsaw!” The theatrics were in line with his commitment to DOGE’s mission of downsizing federal bureaucracy, drawing inspiration from Milei’s aggressive government-cutting measures in Argentina.

Milei’s fiscal conservatism has gained international attention, influencing Musk’s approach to DOGE. The Argentine president’s radical budget cuts and advocacy for limited government resonate with Musk’s goals for the United States. By symbolically passing the chainsaw to Musk, Milei reinforced a partnership rooted in economic freedom and governmental reform.

Musk later posted a photo of himself with the chainsaw on his social media platform, X, captioning it, “This is a real picture,” underscoring his commitment to his bureaucratic overhaul agenda. The image quickly went viral, amplifying the message of aggressive government reform.

The bold display at CPAC not only solidified Musk’s role as a disruptor within the political landscape but also strengthened the ideological bond between Musk and Milei, signaling an international alliance against government inefficiency.

Business

Federal Heritage Minister recommends nearly doubling CBC funding and reducing accountability

Published on February 21, 2025

Todayville

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling for the CBC to be completely defunded in the wake of the federal Liberal government’s recommendation to nearly double the state broadcaster’s cost to taxpayers and hide its budget reporting.

“It is outrageous for the government to try to hide the cost of the CBC from the taxpayers who are paying its bills,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “This government is totally out touch if it thinks it can nearly double CBC’s cost to taxpayers and try to hide its costs.”

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said the government should nearly double the amount of money the CBC takes from taxpayers every year.

The CBC will cost taxpayers about $1.4 billion this year.

“The average funding for public broadcasters in G7 countries is $62 per person, per year,” St-Onge said. “We need to aim closer to the middle ground, which is $62 per year per person.”

Canada’s population is about 41.5 million people. If the government funded the CBC the way the minister is recommending, the CBC would cost taxpayers about $2.5 billion per year.

That amount would cover the annual grocery bill of about 152,854 Canadian families.

St-Onge also recommended the annual taxpayer funding for the CBC be removed from the government budget report and instead be entrenched in government statutory appropriations.

“I propose that it be financed directly in the legislation instead of in the budget through statutory appropriation,” St-Onge said.

“Canadians have told this government that the CBC costs them too much money, that it is not accountable to taxpayers and they don’t watch it, and now the government wants to double down on all those problems,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “The CBC is an enormous waste of money and journalists should not be paid by the government.

“The CBC must be defunded.”