In a recent report, lawmakers from the U.S. House have accused the Biden Administration of colluding with Big Tech to undermine Americans’ First Amendment rights. The report, released by the House Weaponization Subcommittee, alleges that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) worked together to surveil and censor citizens’ speech on social media leading up to the 2020 election and the 2022 midterms.
Lawmakers emphasized the need to rein in CISA and the Biden Administration’s approach to social media censorship, asserting that every American has the right to express their opinions online and receive information from others, and that government classifications of opinions as “misinformation” or “disinformation” cannot invalidate First Amendment protections.
The report follows previous allegations of government pressure and collusion with Big Tech to censor certain viewpoints, particularly those questioning pandemic-related information and the integrity of the 2020 presidential election. Documents obtained by Chairman Jim Jordan and other lawmakers revealed how CISA, originally established to focus on protecting critical infrastructure and cybersecurity threats, allegedly shifted towards domestic surveillance and social media censorship in coordination with the federal government.
The report also highlighted CISA’s use of its connections with Big Tech and government-funded non-profits to engage in proxy censorship, circumventing the First Amendment’s prohibition against government-induced censorship. This included the creation of reporting “portals” through which the government funneled reports of so-called misinformation to social media platforms.
The report raised concerns about CISA’s activities, such as the formation of an “anti-misinformation rapid response team” and efforts to conceal unconstitutional actions by removing evidence and hiding it from the public. The Biden Administration’s attempt to establish a “Disinformation Governance Board” and subsequent lawsuit by state attorneys general further revealed pressure from the White House to censor vaccine-skeptical content on social media.
Lawmakers criticized CISA’s repeated violations of the First Amendment and its attempts to cover up surveillance and censorship operations. They emphasized the importance of ending government-induced censorship and protecting Americans’ rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. The Committee and Select Subcommittee pledged to continue investigating the extent of CISA’s interactions with social media platforms and other Executive Branch agencies to inform legislative efforts aimed at preserving internet freedom.
The report does not indicate an immediate response from CISA regarding the allegations.