Top Republican demands answers from Zuckerberg, accusing Meta of ‘shadow banning’ military content

In a scathing letter addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa accused the parent company of Facebook of engaging in shadow-banning and removing social media posts, specifically targeting content related to the U.S. military. Ernst, who serves as the top Republican on the Small Business committee, referenced a 2022 Washington Post report that highlighted social media companies’ practice of “deamplifying” certain content on Facebook and Instagram.

The report detailed Meta’s response to what they deemed as “problematic content,” which they argued needed to be limited in reach due to its potential to go viral. Ernst specifically called out Meta for allegedly shadow-banning and removing posts related to the U.S. Armed Services, including content featuring the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Virginia.

In her letter obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, Ernst expressed concern over Meta’s algorithms hindering the military’s ability to connect with and recruit the next generation of service members. She emphasized the importance of celebrating the service and sacrifice of the men and women in uniform, rather than restricting their visibility on social media platforms.

Ernst accused Meta of inconsistently adjusting its violations policies without clear rationale, leading to an increase in content restrictions on military-related postings. She provided examples of posts that were suspended or had their reach significantly reduced, resulting in a loss of impressions and engagements.

The senator demanded answers from Zuckerberg on the guidelines used to moderate military-related content, as well as actions taken to prevent future shadow-bans. She also requested an explanation for the suppression of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier post and an estimate of the cost of Pentagon-sanctioned ads that were affected.

In her closing remarks, Ernst reiterated her commitment to ensuring that the voices and contributions of the U.S. military are not silenced on social media platforms. She emphasized the vital role that the armed services play in defending the nation and protecting the freedoms that all Americans enjoy.

As the debate over social media censorship and content moderation continues to intensify, Senator Ernst’s letter to Meta serves as a stark reminder of the importance of upholding the values of transparency, accountability, and freedom of expression in the digital age. Only time will tell how Zuckerberg and Meta will respond to these serious allegations and demands for answers.