Days after Meta Platforms, Inc. META CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the Joe Biden administration "pressured" Facebook to censor certain content on its platforms, the U.S. Department of Justice unveiled a fresh strategy to deal with foreign threats.
What Happened: On Tuesday, the DOJ announced that social media companies would not be forced to remove or block content when it comes to foreign threats to national security or elections, reported Bloomberg.
The department revealed its policy principles explaining how national security officials would engage with social media companies while protecting constitutional rights, especially considering the upcoming election.
DOJ also launched a website that explains how officials will uphold First Amendment rights but also expose foreign threats on these platforms.
The department will now leave it to social media platforms including but not limited to Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube to manage shared information, including blocking users or removing content, the report noted.
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Why It Matters: The development comes about a week after Zuckerberg sent a letter to a congressional committee, alleging that the Biden administration pressured his company to censor Covid-related content.
The department has also faced criticism and a lawsuit by several states. The lawsuit was led by Missouri and Louisiana, accusing U.S. agencies of unconstitutionally coercing social media companies into removing posts.
However, in June, the Supreme Court ruled that the states don't have enough legal standing to pursue their lawsuit.
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