Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra attributed declining public trust in health officials to the spread of "instantaneous information and disinformation" during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a Washington Post interview, Becerra lamented the difficulty of competing with social media influencers and defended the Biden administration's actions, including vaccine mandates and encouraging online censorship. He expressed uncertainty about restoring public trust in health agencies.

Meanwhile, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in a conversation with Joe Rogan, disclosed that the Biden administration pressured Meta to censor content critical of vaccines and pandemic policies. Zuckerberg stated that his company resisted these demands, emphasizing the importance of allowing discussion even about potentially true claims regarding vaccine side effects. He described instances of Biden administration officials contacting Meta employees and using aggressive tactics to push for censorship.

Adding to this narrative, Zuckerberg recently announced Meta's decision to relax some fact-checking measures to promote free expression. This move comes as social media platforms increasingly challenge government narratives. Zuckerberg's revelations provide context to Becerra's concerns, highlighting the complex interplay between government, social media, and public trust during the pandemic.