The newly released tranche of documents reveals that senior Biden-Harris administration officials sought guidance from British “disinformation” officials on combating disfavored content, including misinformation related to elections and COVID-19. This information was obtained through a private meeting between the National Security Council and the U.K. government’s Counter Disinformation Unit in August 2021. America First Legal, a conservative watchdog group, obtained a slide deck from this meeting through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit with the CDC. The release of these documents has sparked concerns about potential censorship efforts by the executive branch in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
In response to these revelations, Rep. Nancy Mace introduced legislation to prevent U.S. tax money from supporting countries that regulate online speech. Mace, who chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, has also written to President Biden and Vice President Harris seeking information on any suppression campaigns against political speech. The No Funds for Fascists Act, introduced by Mace, aims to prohibit taxpayer funds from assisting foreign governments that restrict free speech. This push for free speech rights extends beyond U.S. borders, as Mace seeks to prevent aid to governments that coerce social media platforms or news outlets to block speech.
America First Legal’s counsel, Michael Ding, highlighted the international coordination aimed at policing free speech on various issues, including election misinformation and COVID-19 disinformation. The NSC meeting with the British Counter Disinformation Unit focused on combating lies about COVID-19, but also touched on elections. British officials outlined their previous efforts to counter disinformation during elections, connecting with various agencies and social media platforms. The meeting included officials from multiple U.S. government agencies, suggesting a broad approach to combating disinformation across borders.
The British Counter Disinformation Unit presented suggestions for regulating misinformation and disinformation policies of tech companies, drawing parallels to the U.K.’s Online Safety Act. This legislation aims to make the U.K. the safest place to be online while defending freedom of expression. However, Ding criticized this as a form of gaslighting by pro-censorship advocates. He also raised concerns about the First Amendment implications of extradition policies with Britain when speech laws are violated. The British law proposes imposing a “duty of care” on tech companies to address harms, including misinformation and disinformation on their platforms.
The Counter Disinformation Unit in the U.K. is a cross-departmental entity involving foreign policy, domestic policy, and intelligence services to coordinate government responses to misinformation. The British officials suggested using the State Department to collaborate with international allies and multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, G7, and NATO to combat misinformation internationally. This international effort aims to encourage cooperation from tech platforms by sending a clear message that the international community prioritizes this policy area. Ultimately, the revelations from the NSC-British meeting highlight the complexities and implications of government efforts to counter disinformation, both domestically and globally.
