The FBI and Mark Zuckerberg came under fire on social media after Meta (banned in Russia as extremist) CEO unveiled that the FBI ordered the social networking site to censor news about Hunter Biden's scandalous laptop contents claiming it was Russian propaganda. 

On Thursday, the Meta CEO told Joe Rogan's podcast that the FBI contacted Facebook and asked them to "be on high alert" about claimed "Russian propaganda" before the Hunter Biden laptop story was out. Zuckerberg added that the story's "distribution on Facebook was decreased," and "fewer people saw it than would've otherwise."

When asked by Rogan about the number of people who did not see the story due to the policy, he was not sure, but he said the number was "meaningful." 
 
US journalists and politicians took to Twitter, describing what happened as a "damning example" of how big corporations and governments conspire to silence news stories.

Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway said that "the FBI rigged the 2020 election." 
 
Also, US House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a tweet, "The FBI colluded with Big Tech to silence news stories weeks before the 2020 election in an attempt to control your access to information. Democrats in Congress have been intentionally ignoring the facts. When Republicans are back in charge, we will hold all of them accountable."
 
US Senator Josh Hawley also said on Twitter that "the FBI preemptively warned Facebook off Hunter Biden laptop reporting. This same agency effectively laundered Russian disinfo in the 2016 election in the form of Steele dossier. And later lied to a court to get wiretaps." 

So the FBI preemptively warned Facebook off Hunter Biden laptop reporting. This same agency effectively laundered Russian disinfo in the 2016 election in the form of Steele dossier. And later lied to a court to get wiretaps https://t.co/wrD01hSbFe

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) August 26, 2022

 
In turn, Fox News contributor Byron York said that "the FBI was on the lookout for anything that might damage the Biden campaign. Warned Facebook. Facebook acted on warning and suppressed an accurate story about Hunter Biden." 

Related News

Nepal blocks Facebook, X, YouTube after firms defy local registration

Meta claims AI needs Aussies social media data to learn local concepts

In the final weeks of the 2020 contest, the FBI was on the lookout for anything that might damage the Biden campaign. Warned Facebook. Facebook acted on warning and suppressed an accurate story about Hunter Biden. https://t.co/k29xDV5euQ

— Byron York (@ByronYork) August 26, 2022

 
"Interesting that Facebook suppressed none of the fake negative stories about Trump as a result of this FBI warning," Republican advisor and strategist Matt Wolking said on Twitter too. 

Interesting that Facebook suppressed none of the fake negative stories about Trump as a result of this FBI warning. https://t.co/SPOc7M1p0A

— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) August 26, 2022

 
Hunter Biden reportedly abandoned his laptop at a repair shop in 2019, while his father, Joe Biden, was running to become US president.

His laptop's contents were later made public. Emails from the laptop detail Hunter Biden's involvement in a number of foreign business ventures, including a highly compensated stint on the board of a Ukrainian energy firm, multimillion-dollar deals in China that hinged on him introducing partners to his father, and an alleged scheme to arrange funding for a Pentagon contractor to study hazardous biological agents in Ukraine. Photographs allegedly obtained from Hunter's laptop also reveal his sexual proclivities and drug abuse.

Read: Hunter Biden's laptop under GOP investigation

Republicans criticized the Bidens for their alleged misconduct in Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, which came into the public spotlight after the emails' release.