London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, May 30, 2025

Sen. Ron Johnson demands answers from Biden on administration's work with Big Tech to censor online posts

Sen. Ron Johnson demands answers from Biden on administration's work with Big Tech to censor online posts

Sen. Johnson called the Biden administration's 'flagging' of social media posts 'a dangerous assault on freedom of speech'

Sen. Ron Johnson and several of his GOP colleagues are demanding answers from President Joe Biden regarding the White House's admission that the administration is collaborating with social media companies to "flag" Americans' posts for disinformation.

"Big Tech has now become Big Brother," Johnson, R-Wis., told FOX Business exclusively. "It’s the Big Brother arm of big government and it should concern and frighten every American."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a press briefing earlier this month that Biden administration officials are coordinating with Big Tech firms and that the surgeon general's office had upped its research and tracking of disinformation.

"We're flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread disinformation," Psaki said at the time.

The admission drew criticism from First Amendment advocates.

"It is outrageous the Biden administration is coordinating with Big Tech to infringe on American citizens’ First Amendment freedoms," Johnson told FOX Business. "This is a dangerous assault on freedom of speech and Big Tech, the mainstream media and the administration have no credibility in determining what is and isn’t misinformation."


Psaki said the administration was working with doctors and other medical experts to target false information about the COVID-19 pandemic specifically.

In a letter to the president obtained by FOX Business, Johnson was joined by Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Rand Paul, R-Ky., and six more GOP members in expressing "deep concern" with the move.

The senators told the president in the letter, "We consider any efforts by the government to collude with social media in this manner to be a dangerous assault on Americans’ First Amendment right to freedom of speech."

"We want to reiterate that the Administration should halt any actions it has or is currently undertaking to censor Americans’ speech.," the letter reads. "Further, Congress and the American public must know how the Administration is carrying out this 'flagging' of American citizens’ speech."

The senators then listed a slate of requests for the administration to provide to Congress by Aug. 9, 2021, including, "The name, employing agency or office, and the job title of each individual in the executive branch carrying out ‘disinformation’ research and tracking of social media platforms." They also asked for all of the correspondence the administration has had with social media giants, a list of all the social media posts the administration determined should be flagged along with the justification, and how many taxpayer dollars have been spent on the Biden administration's endeavor to tamp down "disinformation."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×