Blocking content on social media may actually draw more attention to it

When the New York Post published an article last week that contained incriminating documents and photos allegedly taken from Hunter Biden’s laptop, social media companies stepped in to control the story’s spread.

Facebook reduced distribution of the story, which was based on files reportedly obtained from an anonymous computer shop owner in Delaware, so it would show up less in people’s feeds until fact-checkers weighed in.

Twitter initially blocked the link to the article from being posted, shared or even sent via direct message on the platform. The company said...