Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc. finally put in writing what many have suspected for years: Senior Biden-era officials “conducted repeated and sustained outreach” to the company and pressed YouTube to remove COVID-related videos that did not violate YouTube’s policies.
In a Sep. 23 letter to House Judiciary chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Alphabet’s counsel called such government attempts to dictate moderation “unacceptable and wrong” and said YouTube will create a pathway for creators banned under now-retired COVID-19 and 2020/2024 election policies to return. Google’s mea culpa followed a March 6, 2025 subpoena issued by Jordan.
The House Judiciary Committee summarized the admission, underscoring five key points from Google:
- Biden officials pressured the company to censor Americans and take down lawful content.
- Google considers that pressure “unacceptable and wrong.”
- Public debate should not hinge on deferring to “authorities.”
- The company will not empower third-party fact-checkers to label or remove content.
- European speech rules, including the Digital Services Act, risk forcing removal of lawful American speech.
In unusually plain language for outside counsel, Alphabet told Congress that during COVID-19, “White House officials” sought removal of non-violative videos and that the broader political atmosphere — “including President Biden” — sought to influence platform decisions. Alphabet s
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