Meta’s Deep Connections to the CIA, FBI, and Censorship

What Big Tech and Big Media aren't telling us

By Name Redacted on X, Special to The Kennedy Beacon

The CIA and other intelligence agencies have extensively infiltrated social media companies, such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), to moderate and censor content, including that of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Should former intelligence agents have such an outsized role in deciding what content we can see on some of the world’s biggest social media platforms, especially as the 2024 presidential election approaches?

The Department of Homeland Security’s 2022 Analytic Exchange Program (AEP) featured a workshop titled “Foreign Malign Influence – Observations & Recommendations.” The document from this workshop contains several noteworthy disclosures from an official at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

You can access the full document here.

On page 10, the document states that the FBI and CIA have been engaging with private companies, specifically concerning disinformation and foreign malign influence. It has been well documented that the FBI was already doing this, but what makes this disclosure significant is the unprecedented revelation that the CIA has “mission centers” that have developed positive relationships with these private companies, such as Meta. To date, there has been no public disclosure of the CIA’s extensive involvement with social media firms in relation to disinformation.

Even more disturbing is the disclosure regarding who in the private sector is engaging with the Intelligence Community. The document highlights that often it is former US Intelligence Community (USIC) employees who have transitioned to the private sector, including Meta. This revelation underscores the complex and intertwined relationships between the Intelligence Community and social media platforms.

These revelations expose previously undisclosed information, suggesting undisclosed ties between the CIA and social media platforms like Meta. This document carries significant implications, necessitating investigations into specific interactions, individuals involved, topics discussed, and the duration of these engagements.

This disclosure is substantial and would typically result in a protracted battle between Congressional Oversight Committees and the Intelligence Community. One would also expect it to be headline news across mainstream media outlets such as Fox News. However, although several major media outlets have this document, including outlets to which I have personally provided it, they have chosen not to report on it. This raises serious journalistic integrity questions.

Who, then, are these former IC colleagues that the CIA and FBI are in contact with at Meta? My research has revealed that since 2018, Meta has hired more than 160 individuals from the Intelligence Community. Among them, there is one standout who occupies a pivotal role at Meta, especially in the context of content moderation and censorship. His name is Aaron Berman.

The DHS document highlights the challenge of determining who in the private sector engages with the Intelligence Community, noting that former USIC employees, like those at Meta, often play a role in these interactions. While it acknowledges that not all individuals in the private sector hold leadership positions within the investigative bureaucracy, it implies that some certainly do. In this regard, Aaron Berman emerges as a prominent figure who aligns with the criteria of individuals in positions of influence. His pivotal role in crafting content policies and leading the Misinformation Policy team at Meta positions him as a key player in decisions related to content moderation and censorship, emphasizing that he holds a leadership role within the organization. Given Berman’s role at Meta, he would certainly be the type of person with whom the CIA and the FBI would want to engage.

Berman, with over two decades of experience at the CIA before joining Meta in July 2019, was instrumental in building the Misinformation Policy department and crafting content policies that held significant sway over content moderation and censorship on Meta’s platforms. Notably, he actively oversaw censorship during critical events, such as the 2020 US presidential election, the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2022 US midterms. Furthermore, he collaborates with foreign fact-checkers to counter what was considered “misinformation” in foreign elections.

In a revealing YouTube interview, Berman openly expressed his disagreement with the Center for Countering Digital Hate’s report on the “disinformation dozen,” a list that notably includes Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

However, what’s particularly noteworthy is that despite his disagreement with the report’s findings, Berman acknowledged that he took decisive action. He personally oversaw the banning of over three dozen pages, groups, and accounts associated with individuals from the “disinformation dozen,” including Kennedy, across Meta’s platforms, which encompass Facebook and Instagram.

As of May 2023, Berman holds the crucial position of Lead for Elections Policy content at Meta, granting him substantial influence over policy decisions related to content moderation for the upcoming 2024 US elections. Berman now spearheads all aspects of election-related content at Meta. The question naturally arises: Should we feel comfortable with an 18-year CIA operative in charge of policy and content moderation on the world’s largest social media platform?

As the DHS document unveils the CIA’s positive relationships with private companies like Meta, it’s essential to delve deeper into the individuals holding influential positions over content moderation. Let’s now examine other key figures within Meta, akin to Aaron Berman, who would be prime candidates for engagement with the CIA and FBI.

Scott Stern, who served as Chief of Targeting for the CIA for over seven years, joined Meta in 2020 as Senior Manager of Trust & Safety. In his current role, where he holds a position of authority in content policy, Stern is responsible for developing AI/ML algorithms that address multiple issues, including “misinformation.”

Mike Bradow, who spent a decade at USAID, an organization widely viewed as a CIA cutout, now serves as the Product Policy Manager at Meta. He is also Head of Fact-Checking Policy.

Bradow leads a global team responsible for shaping Meta’s fact-checking program, which includes developing content, product, and operational guidelines. He provides crucial counsel to Meta’s leadership on complex and sensitive matters, particularly those related to combating misinformation. This encompasses crafting responses to integrity risks during pivotal events, such as elections and crises, including instances like COVID-19, the Ukraine conflict, the 2022 elections in Brazil, the US elections in 2020, and the 2022 midterms. Given his position and background, Bradow is precisely the type of person that the CIA would likely be engaging with at Meta.

Mike Torrey, with nine years of experience at the CIA, is a standout candidate for potential engagement with the CIA. His background includes countering cyber threats and shaping national policies to address foreign cyber threats. Currently serving as the Principal Security Engineer Investigator, Threat Intelligence at Meta, Torrey leads efforts to identify, understand, and disrupt influence operations, espionage, and threats to the Meta community. Given his extensive experience, Torrey is a prime candidate for collaboration with the CIA in the context of Meta’s content policies and security efforts.

Susan M. is the current Manager of Threat Intelligence at Meta. Her only prior work experience is two decades at the FBI and two years at the CIA Targeting Counterterrorism Center; she is thus another example of someone the CIA and FBI would want to engage with.

I can go on and on listing examples, as Meta currently employs 14 people from the CIA who work in Trust & Safety. Deborah Berman spent nine years at the CIA and is project manager in Trust & Safety. Maddison Lucier spent seven years at the CIA and four years at the State Department in Tunisia. She is a Risk Intelligence Investigator at Meta.

It’s not just former CIA who work at Meta. I have documented over 160 individuals hired just since 2018 from the following agencies: CIA-14, FBI-26, NSA-16, DHS-29, State Department-32, and DOD-49. Most of these roles are senior management and many are in content moderation departments.

Michael Marando, with eight years of experience at DOJ and involvement in the Mueller special counsel where he prosecuted Roger Stone, joined Meta in 2020 as the Director of Content Policy. He collaborates closely with Aaron Berman in shaping content policies. As Director of Content Policy, he plays a pivotal role in addressing misinformation and AI-related matters. Marando largely contributed to the development of Meta’s COVID-19 misinformation policy, further emphasizing his significance in Meta’s content moderation efforts.

As many are aware, Meta acquired the WhatsApp messaging platform in 2014. Now, let’s delve into the top three leaders of Public Policy at WhatsApp.

Jonathan Lee, who has held significant positions in various government agencies, including the Department of Defense (DOD), the National Security Council, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), serves as the Head of Global Public Policy at WhatsApp. His role involves shaping WhatsApp’s public policy initiatives at the messaging platform.

Courtney Cooper, the Director of Global Public Policy for WhatsApp since 2022, brings a wealth of experience from her time at the CIA, where she served for a substantial portion of her 16-year federal career. She is also currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Cooper’s background and her pivotal role at WhatsApp make her a compelling figure for potential engagement with the CIA and FBI, given her ability to influence content policies and regulations.

Rounding out the top three leaders at WhatsApp is Joseph Schadler, who prior to joining WhatsApp, as Trust & Safety Manager, spent 24 years at the FBI.

As I’ve previously stated, these are just a handful of examples of top executives currently at Meta (Facebook and WhatsApp) who wield immense power over content moderation. We know for a fact that the FBI and CIA have positive relationships with their former colleagues who currently work at Meta. The question is who are they engaging with, what are they discussing, and how long have these relationships been going on?

Everything you have read here is not being discussed in the wider censorship conversation. The hiring of former intelligence operatives, in fact, seems to be purposely left out of that conversation, yet everyone is aware of it. The fact this is being ignored is more concerning than I can ever articulate.

We are on the cusp of a major election in 2024. The people I have listed here oversee content moderation and policy on the world’s largest social media platform, and some of them may be actively engaging with the CIA and FBI. If we want free speech and fair elections, this issue must be addressed globally.

For a more in-depth list of Meta’s hires from the Intelligence Community, please refer to my thread on Twitter/X. There, you’ll find additional information about individuals with backgrounds in intelligence agencies who now hold influential positions within Meta: https://x.com/NameRedacted247/status/1687358111235932161?s=20.