Top Republicans demand answers from Zuckerberg, accusing Meta of “shadow banning” military content

Exclusive: A top Republican senator accuses Meta — Facebook’s parent company — of “shadow banning” and removing social media posts in a letter on Tuesday demanding answers from the CEO. Mark Zuckerberg.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is the top Republican in the House Small Business Committeewill partly cite 2022 The Washington Post Report on social media companies ‘simplifying’ certain content on Facebook and Instagram.

The report discussed Meta’s response to “problematic content,” which the executive at the time called “borderline” and said must have reduced its reach due to its tendency to go viral.

In the letter addressed to Zuckerberg’s office is in San Mateo County, CaliforniaErnest claimed that this content included Army content as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Virginia.

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“Your platform, among others, provides an unparalleled opportunity to connect the U.S. military with younger generations. That’s why I’m concerned about Meta’s ongoing blocking and removal of U.S. Armed Forces websites,” Ernst wrote in the letter, which he obtained exclusively. Fox News Digital.

“The defense of our nation depends entirely on the voluntary conscription of brave women and men willing to put their lives on the line so that every American can freely express his thoughts.”

In statements to Fox News Digital, Ernst said Americans’ freedoms are only possible through the all-volunteer armed forces, in which she previously served.

“I am concerned that meta algorithms are hindering our investment in connecting with and recruiting the next generation of fighters,” she added.

“The service and sacrifice of the brave men and women in uniform should be celebrated, not limited.”

In her letter, Ernst accused Meta of sporadically amending its abuse policies without a “clear rationale” and cited reports to Congress showing an increase in content restrictions on military-related posts.

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By including an image of an Instagram violation warning in a particular post, Ernst listed a number of such reports and their loss of “reach” online.

A post being suspended for six hours on February 29 resulted in a loss of 2,500 impressions and 500 shares, while a similar situation on March 3 reduced the post’s reach by 5,000 impressions and 1,100 shares.

Ten posts on GoArmy’s social media account were flagged as violating the guidelines over a three-day period in September, and the account was briefly placed in “not recommended” status twice, Ernst said.

The Army Public Affairs Office reported several sites were down, including one featuring the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and another depicting soldiers aboard a helicopter, the senator said.

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In turn, Ernst asked Zuckerberg to establish the guidelines used to moderate military-related content and how to deliver it to account holders.

It also requested clarification on the apparent suppression of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier site, and the measures taken so far to prevent shadow bans that should not occur in the future.

The lawmaker also called for an estimate of the cost of official Pentagon-sanctioned announcements that were suppressed.