"For content that doesn't meet that threshold, we instituted borderline demotions," the company wrote on July 16, 2021. "For example, someone sharing negative side effect posts. Similarly, posts questioning whether you get a vaccine under a mandate, whether it's government overreach. We demote those. That's not false information but it leads to a vaccine negative environment."

This formerly trusted platform had become a major source of news for millions. Users believed it was an authentic expression of what their friends are thinking and doing. It turns out that for any injury caused by the vaccine, people were silenced. Meanwhile, major media was screaming at everyone that these shots are necessary, safe, and effective, none of which was true. But users did not know this was going on.

The policy was pushed by the federal government on all major social media platforms. This massively distorted public debate. Anyone who spoke about the downsides of the vaccine was treated as a crank and a public danger. All claims that contradicted the government and pharmaceutical line were demoted or deleted for creating a "vaccine-negative environment."