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White House pressure on platforms in 2021: Flaherty emails and 'They're killing people'

Court records show White House digital director Rob Flaherty pressed Facebook and Twitter in 2021 over COVID-19 vaccine content in sharply worded emails. On July 16, 2021 President Biden said of platforms like Facebook, 'They're killing people,' then softened the remark on July 19.

Jul 15, 2021
Whose side it served: Democrats

Conduct of the Biden White House and President Biden.

What the record shows

Per the Missouri v. Biden ruling, Flaherty asked Twitter on Feb. 6, 2021 to remove a parody account tied to Biden's granddaughter ('Cannot stress the degree to which this needs to be resolved immediately'); Twitter suspended it within 45 minutes. In March 2021 he emailed Facebook under the subject line 'You are hiding the ball,' and on July 15, 2021 wrote, 'Are you guys fucking serious? I want an answer on what happened here and I want it today.' The next day Biden told reporters 'They're killing people' when asked about Facebook; on July 19 he said 'Facebook isn't killing people,' attributing most misinformation to 12 individuals. In an Aug. 26, 2024 letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote that senior officials 'repeatedly pressured' the company for months to remove certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire.

In their words

“I want an answer on what happened here and I want it today.”— Rob Flaherty, White House email to Facebook, July 15, 2021 · source
“They're killing people.”— President Joe Biden, July 16, 2021 · source
“Facebook isn't killing people”— President Joe Biden, July 19, 2021 · source
“I believe the government pressure was wrong”— Mark Zuckerberg, letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, Aug. 26, 2024 · source
The other side

The White House said it encouraged 'responsible actions to protect public health and safety' during a deadly pandemic and that platforms made their own choices. Facebook said in 2021 it would not be distracted by accusations 'which aren't supported by the facts.' The Supreme Court noted Facebook expanded its COVID-19 policies before White House contacts began.

Sources

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