ByteDance Unveils New AI Voice Assistant for ZTE Smartphones 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
Amazon and Google Launch New Multicloud Networking Service to Boost High-Speed Cloud Connectivity 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
Momenta Quietly Moves Toward Hong Kong IPO Amid Rising China-U.S. Tensions 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
Australia Releases New National AI Plan, Opts for Existing Laws to Manage Risks 
TSMC Accuses Former Executive of Leaking Trade Secrets as Taiwan Prosecutors Launch Investigation 
Visa to Move European Headquarters to London’s Canary Wharf 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
Baidu Cuts Jobs as AI Competition and Ad Revenue Slump Intensify 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
UPS MD-11 Crash Prompts Families to Prepare Wrongful Death Lawsuit 
Netflix’s Bid for Warner Bros Discovery Aims to Cut Streaming Costs and Reshape the Industry 
Trump Administration to Secure Equity Stake in Pat Gelsinger’s XLight Startup 
IKEA Launches First New Zealand Store, Marking Expansion Into Its 64th Global Market 
In a stunning revelation, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg disclosed that the Biden administration relentlessly pushed the company to censor COVID-19 content during the pandemic, including humorous posts, a move he now regrets complying with.
Zuckerberg Expresses Regret in Judiciary Letter
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms, stated that social media business COVID-19 content had been censored at the behest of senior officials in the Biden administration during the pandemic. He further stated that he would resist such an attempt in the future.
In a letter dated August 26, Zuckerberg expressed his remorse for his silence over this pressure and other choices regarding the removal of content from Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to the judiciary committee of the United States House of Representatives.
Judiciary Committee Publishes Zuckerberg’s Letter
According to Reuters, the Judiciary Committee posted Zuckerberg's letter on its Facebook page. "In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree," Zuckerberg wrote.
"I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret we were not more outspoken about it," said he. "I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn't make today."
A request for response outside of U.S. work hours was not responded to by either the White House or Meta.
Jim Jordan, a Republican serving as committee chairman, was the intended recipient of the correspondence. An admission by Zuckerberg that "Facebook censored Americans" was hailed by the committee as a "big win for free speech" in a Facebook post.
Also in the letter, Zuckerberg stated his intention to "not play a role one way or another" in the next November presidential election by refraining from contributing to electoral infrastructure.
Zuckerberg’s Election Contributions Under Scrutiny
The billionaire's philanthropic venture with his wife, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, contributed $400 million to support election infrastructure during the last election in 2020, which was held during the pandemic. This action drew criticism and lawsuits from groups that claimed it was partisan.
