{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2022/9/sen-johnson-demands-twitter-explain-covid-19-censorship-policies", "Sen. Johnson Demands Twitter Explain COVID-19 Censorship Policies", "2022-09-23", "2022", "2022-09", "Republican", "Senate", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", "ronjohnson", "https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a letter to Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal demanding documents explaining the development and application of Twitter\u2019s COVID-19 misinformation policies.\n\nOn January 3, 2022, Sen. Johnson tweeted a chart containing data pulled from the government-run vaccine adverse events reporting system (VAERS). The chart examined and compared government data on the number of adverse events reports associated with COVID-19 vaccines, medications used to treat both COVID-19, and non-COVID-19 medications. Twitter labeled the chart \u201cmisleading\u201d and blocked all replies, shares or likes for the tweet.\n\nAt a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on September 14, 2022, a Twitter executive testified that Twitter\u2019s \u201cCOVID misinformation policy only looked at information that was demonstrably and widely believed\u201d to be false. When Sen Johnson asked the executive why Twitter censored his tweet containing government data, the Twitter executive was unable to answer the question.\n\nRead more about the letter in the Post Millennial.\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found here and below.\n\nSeptember 21, 2022\n\nMr. Parag Agrawal\n\nChief Executive Officer\n\nTwitter, Inc.\n\nDear Mr. Agrawal:\n\nOn September 14, 2022, Jay Sullivan, General Manager of Bluebird at Twitter testified before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) about social media\u2019s impact on homeland security. In the hearing, Mr. Sullivan testified that Twitter\u2019s \u201cCOVID misinformation policy only looked at information that was demonstrably and widely believed\u201d to be false. [1] I write to request information and material concerning the development and implementation of those policies.\n\nDr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) testified before a Senate Committee in November, 2021 that the United States has the \u201cmost robust vaccine safety system we have ever had in this country.\u201d[2] In October 2020, before the vaccines for COVID-19 were approved, CDC\u2019s Dr. Tom Shimabukuro said, \u201cVAERS [the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System] is the national passive surveillance or spontaneous reporting system that is co-managed by CDC and FDA. VAERS can rapidly detect safety signals and can detect rare adverse events.\u201d[3] He added,\n\nVAERS traditionally has provided the initial data on the safety profile of new vaccines when they are introduced. For COVID, vaccine reports will be processed within one to five business days, depending on the seriousness of the report. CDC and FDA receive updated datasets daily, and data mining runs are planned to be conducted every one to two weeks. So this is an example of the timeliness and responsiveness of VAERS going back to H1N1.[4]\n\nGiven the fact that our public health officials have highlighted how VAERS could serve as a useful tool in tracking the safety profile of vaccines, I examined and compared government data on the number of adverse events reports associated with COVID-19 vaccines, medications used to treat both COVID-19, and non-COVID-19 medications. I combined the government data and put it into a chart. I tweeted the chart on January 3, 2022.[5] Twitter labeled it \u201cmisleading\u201d and blocked all replies, shares, or likes for the tweet.[6] I have reproduced the censored tweet below.\n\nTweet censored by Twitter in January 2022[7]\n\nI asked Mr. Sullivan why Twitter censored this information. He replied, \u201cI wasn\u2019t at the company at the time, but what I can tell you is that we want robust discussion on the platform of any issue. A COVID misinformation policy was developed that seemed to me, and again I don\u2019t develop it, but it seemed quite narrow to me.\u201d[8]\n\nIn light of Mr. Sullivan\u2019s inability to articulate why Twitter censored government data from my Twitter account, I request the following information and material:\n\nHas Twitter worked with U.S. health authorities in the development of its COVID-19 misinformation policies? If yes, please provide:\n\nThe complete list of U.S. health agencies Twitter worked with on the development of its COVID-19 misinformation policies;\n\nThe names and titles of each official at each of the federal health agencies that Twitter worked with on the development of its COVID-19 misinformation policies; and\n\nAll communications with any employee of a federal health agency referring or relating to the development, implementation, or application, of Twitter\u2019s COVID-19 misinformation policies from January 2020 to the present.\n\nMr. Sullivan testified that Twitter\u2019s \u201cCOVID misinformation policy only looked at information that was demonstrably and widely believed\u201d to be false. [9] Please explain what is \u201cdemonstrably\u201d false about my tweet in January 2022 reproducing government data from our public health agencies?\n\nPlease provide all documents and communications, internal and external of Twitter, referring or relating to Twitter\u2019s application of its COVID-19 misinformation policies to my Twitter page.\n\nThank you for your attention to this important request. Please produce all responsive material by October 5, 2022. I look forward to receiving a prompt and complete response.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2022/9/sen-johnson-demands-twitter-explain-covid-19-censorship-policies"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6577201895415783, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}