Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Monday wrote to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding answers about the big tech platform censoring military recruitment content.
“Our freedoms are only possible because of the long tradition of Americans volunteering to serve and defend their nation, like I did,” Ernst said in a written statement. “I am concerned Meta’s algorithms are hindering our investment in connecting with and recruiting the next generation of warfighters. The service and sacrifice of the brave men and women in uniform should be celebrated not restricted.”
Ernst wrote to Zuckerberg about Meta removing and shadowbanning U.S. Armed Services’ posts, noting that the big tech platform “continues to change its policy on violations without notification or clear rationale.”
She continued:
Since February 2024, reports to Congress have indicated an increase in content restrictions on military- related posts, including those depicting military equipment that do not violate community guidelines. Meta has even rendered the GoArmy Instagram account inactive and unsearchable at times. For example, the Army Office of Chief of Public Affairs (OCPA) reports disruptions for innocuous posts, such as one featuring the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and soldiers working on a helicopter without visible weapons. Shadow banning these types of posts conveys a disturbing message that sacrificing for the defense of our nation violates Meta’s community standards.
The Iowa senator, who retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard after 23 years of service, said that Meta has had other issues with its inconsistent content moderation practices:
More recent events further highlight the inconsistency and issues with Meta’s content moderation practices. On September 16 and September 18, five posts each day were flagged as violating guidelines, pushing the GoArmy account into a non-recommendable status. Notably, eight of these 10 flagged posts had already been appealed and cleared by Meta. On September 17, the GoArmy account was placed into non-recommendable status without any flagged posts. Despite immediate outreach to Meta for clarification, which resulted in a support ticket, no clear explanation was provided. While the account was restored to recommendable status on September 19, it was again demoted to non-recommendable status on September 20 based on the same previously appealed and cleared flags.
Ernst demanded more information about Meta’s content moderation policies, why Armed Services’ accounts were flagged or removed, and what steps Meta has taken to prevent future censorship.
“I urge you to ensure that Meta’s practices are fair, transparent, and free from such pressures, particularly regarding matters of national security, and to immediately reevaluate your restrictive policies on the U.S. military’s posts,” she concluded in her letter.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.
