Senior Biden administration officials held talks with Amazon representatives at the White House during the peak of the pandemic. The discussions revolved around addressing what the White House perceived as propaganda and misinformation present in books sold on Amazon. The focus was on books questioning the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
In March 2021, White House officials engaged in a week-long scrutiny of Amazon. They specifically inquired about steps Amazon could take to decrease the visibility of these books on their platform.
The pressure campaign, led by Andy Slavitt, a senior adviser on the COVID-19 task force, yielded results. On March 9, the same day Amazon agreed to meet with Biden administration aides, the company implemented a 'do not promote' policy for books categorized as 'anti-vax' and designed to persuade readers that vaccines are unsafe or ineffective.
White House officials flagged books they considered problematic, such as one authored by Dr. Vernon Coleman titled "Anyone Who Tells You Vaccines Are Safe and Effective Is Lying." Amazon promptly responded to White House concerns, acknowledging the pressure from the White House Task Force to reduce the visibility of vaccine-questioning books.
Internal Amazon emails revealed that the company was not only responsive to White House pressure but also attentive to negative stories from external sources. The company considered policies to reduce the visibility of COVID-related books that contradicted the White House's stance.
READ ALSO: 5 Book Recommendations that Address Disinformation, Manipulation, and Related Matters
Dubbed 'The Amazon Files,' the email was obtained through subpoenas. These internal emails indicated that the Biden White House pressured Amazon to censor books that they disapproved of. The documents included emails and messages among Amazon employees discussing the matter. The emails also highlighted the lack of CDC warnings on anti-vaccine books.
The email informed staff members to be cautious when interacting with the Biden administration about possible follow-up measures. Additionally, it stated that they are working on changing the bookseller's website, which would direct more customers searching for specific keywords to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The email also said that Amazon would send a screenshot of the change to the White House once it was implemented.
The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Jim Jordan, disclosed these Amazon emails. Mr. Jordan asserted that the committee would investigate the matter. He claimed that Amazon yielded to pressure from the Biden White House to censor speech.
Andy Slavitt's name has been associated with other censorship efforts, including pressuring social media platforms to remove posts and ban users opposing the administration's content. Court documents revealed Slavitt's involvement in influencing Twitter to deplatform Alex Berenson, who raised concerns about vaccine side effects.
Despite the pressure on platforms like Amazon, ongoing discussions surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine persisted. While the CDC endorsed the vaccine, medical professionals acknowledged the limitations and concerns about side effects.
This incident highlighted the balance between information dissemination, concerns over misinformation, and the role of major platforms like Amazon. Slavitt, the key figure in these efforts, announced his departure from the White House in June 2021.
RELATED ARTICLE: Amazon's Dominance in the Book Market Raises Antitrust Concerns