Staff Reports
In yet another shocking display of Big Tech overreach, Facebook is facing immense backlash for allegedly suppressing a video shared by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson at the behest of the Biden White House. It’s a prime example of the dangerous collusion between the government and technology giants to stifle free speech and control the narrative.
Thankfully, Judge Terry Doughty of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana Monroe Division stepped in and issued an injunction against the White House’s appalling attempts to censor Americans’ right to express their opinions. The judge recognized the blatant violation of our First Amendment rights and the government’s coordination with tech companies to shadow-ban certain posts based on their content.
This whole debacle started on April 14, 2021, when Carlson posted a video expressing concerns about potential side effects of vaccines. It didn’t take long for Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Digital Strategy, Rob Flaherty, to spring into action, summoning the full force of the White House to silence Carlson and then-Fox News host Tomi Lahren. Flaherty demanded that the video be taken down, claiming that Carlson was spreading misinformation about vaccines, and Lahren refused to take one altogether.
Even former White House advisor Andy Slavitt joined the fray, complaining to Facebook executive Nick Clegg about Carlson’s “anti-vax message.” It’s truly disheartening to see the government’s eagerness to stifle differing opinions and label them as dangerous. It seems they have little regard for the principles upon which this great nation was founded.
But kudos to Judge Doughty for standing up for free speech. He noted in his ruling that Facebook, without any valid reason, decided to censor Carlson’s video by limiting its reach and demoting it. And get this – the video didn’t even violate Facebook’s own content policy on COVID-19 vaccines! Despite this fact, Facebook continued to suppress it and attached a COVID information label, downplaying its significance, effectively taking sides in the vaccine debate.
Facebook Shadow Banned Tucker Carlson's 'Anti-Vaccine' Video At the Request of the Biden WH https://t.co/6xCobAmdQJ
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 7, 2023
According to court documents, Flaherty made it clear to Facebook that he expected them to combat “vaccine hesitancy” and replace it with posts promoting the vaccine. It’s a concerning display of the Biden Administration’s authoritarian attitude, attempting to control the narrative and manipulate public opinion through social media censorship.
But thanks to Judge Doughty’s injunction, the Biden Administration’s collaboration with social media platforms to censor individual posts they disagree with has been temporarily halted. It’s a victory for the First Amendment and a reminder that no entity, be it the government or Big Tech, should have the authority to dictate what we can say and think.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the ever-increasing power and influence of Big Tech, where social media platforms like Facebook become the arbiters of truth and gatekeepers of information. It’s a dangerous precedent that must be challenged and resisted if we value the fundamental freedoms upon which our great nation was built.
Let us hope that this ruling emboldens more Americans to stand up against the erosion of our rights and demand accountability from those in power. We cannot afford to let the government and Big Tech trample on our constitutional rights—it’s time to fight back and reclaim our liberty.
Source: Townhall
