America First Legal (AFL) has released documents obtained through its lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These materials include a slide deck used in an August 2021 presentation by the United Kingdom’s Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU) to the Biden-Harris National Security Council (NSC) Interagency Policy Committee (IPC).
The Biden administration held regular meetings on censorship regarding COVID-19-related content, and during these gatherings, they hosted the UK’s CDU to gain insights into effective censorship strategies. The CDU proposed several key recommendations, including the establishment of a centralized government body to oversee censorship efforts, legislation that would allow the government to regulate the content policies of tech companies, and forming partnerships with companies to flag undesirable content. The UK also advocated using foreign policy to align government censorship efforts across borders.
High-level officials from various U.S. agencies, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), CIA, FBI, and multiple departments, attended the meeting. According to the documents, the CDU described how it censors content in the UK, revealing how left-leaning governments globally cooperate to suppress free speech.
The CDU's presentation suggested creating a centralized hub to coordinate government censorship efforts across multiple sectors. This British body works closely with private companies, such as social media platforms, to manage the spread of information deemed false. The U.S. has already engaged in similar efforts, as evidenced by AFL's successful lawsuit that dissolved the Homeland Intelligence Experts Group, which labeled Trump supporters as “domestic terrorism threats.”
The CDU also recommended passing laws that would allow direct governmental influence over social media platforms. The UK’s Online Safety Act, enacted in 2023, serves as a model for coercing companies into compliance. This law, aimed at combating online harm, has already led to threats of extradition and imprisonment of U.S. citizens. The AFL investigation has shown that the Biden administration sought advice from the UK-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, adopting strategies to hold tech companies accountable through prosecutions and enforcement actions for allowing what is labeled as “online harassment.”
In addition to legal measures, the CDU stressed the importance of trusted relationships between governments and social media platforms. Through these partnerships, governments can flag and remove content deemed problematic. AFL's lawsuit, which brought these documents to light, revolves around the Biden administration’s engagement in such flagging activities, a practice also at the center of the Missouri v. Biden case.
The CDU also encouraged the U.S. to leverage its international relations to further its censorship agenda. The presentation highlighted the importance of a unified governmental front to push tech platforms toward cooperation. U.S. and UK foreign policy apparatuses appear to play critical roles in this global effort, manipulating public perception by promoting a censorship agenda as a global necessity.
One of the CDU’s initiatives, the “Counter Disinformation and Media Development Programme,” which operated in Eastern Europe from 2016 to 2021, was also discussed. According to the program’s objectives, it aimed to reduce societal biases and increase support for gender equality and liberal democratic values, which critics argue are veiled attempts at social engineering.
These slides reveal the cooperation between the Biden-Harris administration and ideologically aligned foreign governments to promote progressive agendas while suppressing dissenting voices. AFL has pledged to continue its fight to safeguard free speech in America.
