
Mark Zuckerberg Faces Joe Rogan’s Tough Questions on COVID Censorship
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, where he defended his company’s controversial content moderation during the COVID-19 pandemic. While he positioned himself as an advocate for free spe, host Joe Rogan challenged his claims, highlighting flaws in Meta’s approach to censorship.
Mark Zuckerberg is making some big moves at Meta, and on the surface, it all looks great: elimination of fact-checkers, rollback of DEI initiatives, and less censorship.
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) January 10, 2025
Zuckerberg delivered a strong pitch for his renewed enthusiasm for free speech—until he exposed himself at… pic.twitter.com/tTkUbbHWpA
Zuckerberg admitted that the Biden administration pressured Meta to suppress content about vaccine side effects, even when the information was accurate.
“They pushed us super hard to take down things that were honestly true,” Zuckerberg revealed, referencing memes and posts that government officials demanded be removed.
The conversation got even more interesting when Zuckerberg threw the Biden administration under the bus, revealing that they pressured his company to censor true information—and even memes—about vaccine safety.
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) January 10, 2025
“They pushed us super hard to take down things that were honestly… pic.twitter.com/zJOJaCDH8n
Rogan responded critically, saying, “They suppressed valid therapeutics and real information for profit. This wasn’t just a coincidence—it was strategic.”
Zuckerberg highlighted changes at Meta, including a reduced emphasis on content censorship and the elimination of certain fact-checking initiatives. He argued that if topics can be debated in Congress, they should be allowed on social media platforms.
“If it’s okay to say on the floor of Congress, you should probably be able to debate it on social media,” he said.
Zuckerberg made the argument that attempts to censor what are called “misinformation” and “hate speech” have gone “too far.”
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) January 10, 2025
He referred to Pete Hegseth’s belief that women shouldn’t serve in certain combat roles, explaining that such a statement would be censored under Meta’s… pic.twitter.com/py7R55vDAF
Zuckerberg also announced the appointment of UFC president Dana White to Meta’s board, emphasizing his “strong backbone” and ability to resist external pressures.
Despite Zuckerberg’s claims, Rogan challenged the notion that censorship was purely about public health. He accused officials of suppressing alternative treatments like monoclonal antibodies to maintain the emergency use authorization for vaccines.
“This is the same playbook we saw during the AIDS crisis,” Rogan said. “It was all about controlling the narrative for profit.”
Commentators like Stephen A. Smith remain skeptical of Zuckerberg’s pivot to free speech. Smith argued that his actions align more with political self-preservation than genuine reform.
“You went about limiting conservative voices and vaccine skeptics,” Smith said, suggesting that Zuckerberg’s newfound advocacy for transparency is a calculated move.
So, what’s really going on with Mark Zuckerberg? Has he truly had a “come to Jesus” moment, recognizing the flaws of his past ways?
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) January 10, 2025
Time will tell, but voices like Stephen A. Smith aren’t convinced, suggesting Zuckerberg’s recent moves are more about self-preservation than a… pic.twitter.com/NM4x85nCVw
As Meta attempts to regain public trust, Zuckerberg’s interview with Rogan highlights the challenges of navigating free speech in the digital age. Whether his efforts signal real change or mere posturing remains to be seen.