Sen. Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, revealed that federal agencies like the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have resumed discussions with major tech platforms regarding the removal of disinformation ahead of the upcoming presidential election in November. These talks were said to have resumed in March, around the time oral arguments in the Murthy v. Missouri case, which deals with federal censorship efforts, were presented to the U.S. Supreme Court.
An FBI representative confirmed the resumption of communications with social media companies prior to the 2024 election, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to combatting foreign malign influence operations. CISA declined to comment on their discussions with social media companies but mentioned that their Director will participate in an upcoming “Election Security” hearing.
When questioned about the specifics of their discussions and collaborations, neither the FBI nor CISA provided detailed responses. The issue of government-mandated censorship is a focal point in the Murthy v. Missouri case, which addresses claims that government pressure on social media platforms to censor free speech violates the First Amendment.
Legislation and court rulings have preceded these discussions, with District Court Judge Terry Doughty issuing an injunction barring federal agencies from colluding with Big Tech to censor content they disagree with. However, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted this injunction in October, allowing the government’s censorship operations to resume while the case is under review.
An interim report released by House Republicans highlighted the extensive censorship collaboration between federal agencies and Big Tech during the 2020 election, revealing the involvement of organizations like CISA, the Global Engagement Center, and Stanford University in pressuring social media companies to censor what they deemed as “disinformation.”
The Election Integrity Partnership (EIP), created at the request of CISA, played a significant role in coordinating censorship efforts and targeting online speech during the election. This operation aimed to silence information, satire, and political opinions, ultimately submitting flagged posts for censorship by Big Tech companies.
The report also details instances where the federal government pressured social media platforms to censor certain reports and information, including the New York Post’s coverage of the Biden family’s business dealings before the 2020 election. The extent of collaboration and censorship in the digital sphere raises concerns about free speech and government overreach.
