The US Department of Justice on Friday released several documents related to its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, the Epstein files were heavily redacted — a fact that led to much criticism on social media.
The heavily redacted Epstein files
The released documents included photos of former president Bill Clinton and other famous people who were part of Epstein’s wealthy social circle, such as Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.
However, many parts of the documents were blacked out. The strict control over what was shared by officials in President Donald Trump’s administration made people doubt whether these releases would stop conspiracy theories about a high-level cover-up.
The Department of Justice said that the redactions were made to protect the identities of the victims. However, many social media users refused to buy this argument.
Memes on social media
The redactions led to mockery online. Soon after the heavily-redacted Epstein files were released, social media users began to make memes and jokes on the pages and pages of blackouts.
Files disappear from DOJ website
The backlash against the redactions was compounded by the fact that at least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public.
The missing files, which were available Friday and no longer accessible by Saturday, included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.