CDC Training Program | Social Media Monitoring Tool (Facebook)
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a controversial collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Facebook has been uncovered, according to documents obtained by America First Legal (AFL). The collaboration, which aimed to curb the spread of misinformation, has sparked concerns over free speech and the potential violation of First Amendment rights.
The documents reveal the creation of a new "end-to-end workflow" for censorship requests, which included a "government user experience" demo and streamlined the process to make censorship easier. This workflow was part of a specially designed Facebook portal aimed at curbing "Covid & Vaccine Misinformation."
If an individual was deemed a "repeat offender" of the government's "misinformation," their account's reach would be reduced or removed. CDC employees were trained by Facebook on the "Government Reporting System," and could submit up to twenty links at a time for Facebook to remove.
Facebook's Community Standards state that they only remove information deemed "false" by "public health authorities." The portal allowed the government to submit up to twenty links at a time for Facebook to remove, and Facebook boasted about removing over "16 million pieces of content" since the beginning of the pandemic.
Mark Zuckerberg admitted that Facebook only engaged in censorship after extreme pressure from the Biden-Harris White House. Gene Hamilton, America First Legal Executive Director, stated that the documents reveal the system used by political appointees and bureaucrats to unconstitutionally censor free speech online.
The portal was only accessible to approved government and law enforcement personnel, and each censorship request automatically generated a ticket. Hamilton emphasized that the right to speak and question authority is fundamental to the American identity, but during the public health crisis, the Biden Administration worked with major companies to silence dissent.
It is important to note that the search results do not reference any actions by the CDC to censor free speech in collaboration with social media platforms like Facebook during the COVID-19 pandemic. Any such claims would require direct evidence from primary sources or investigative reports, none of which are present in the provided materials.
The documents suggest the United Kingdom's role in shaping the Biden-Harris Administration's approach to online censorship. As the investigation into this collaboration continues, it is crucial to ensure that the right to free speech is upheld and that the power of social media platforms is not used to suppress dissenting voices.
- The collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Facebook raised concerns within the community about the potential violation of free speech and First Amendment rights, as it involved a new "end-to-end workflow" for censorship requests.
- Facebook's Community Standards state that they only remove information deemed "false" by "public health authorities," yet the documents reveal that CDC employees were trained by Facebook on the "Government Reporting System," and could submit up to twenty links at a time for Facebook to remove.
- The documents also suggest that the United Kingdom may have played a role in shaping the Biden-Harris Administration's approach to online censorship, as the collaboration between the CDC and Facebook unfolded.
- Independent journalism is critical in times like these, as it is crucial to question the actions of political appointees, bureaucrats, and major companies, particularly when it comes to matters of science, health, and truth, to ensure that free speech rights are upheld and that the power of technology is not used to suppress dissenting voices in the sport, arts, or any other community.
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