Twitter secrets show more government collusion

More government interference, suppressing correct Covid information, and some Schiffty shenanigans

In case you missed it …

• Libs of TikTok creator Chaya Raichik did her first in-person interview with Tucker Carlson recently and just wrote a New York Post op-ed explaining why she’s coming out (so to speak).

• The WHO tweeted a video stating that “anti-vaccine activism” is deadlier than “global terrorism.” One scientist also called anti-vaccine activism “anti-science aggression.”

• Hulu is bringing the 1619 Project to their streaming service later this month, in spite of the original series having to make several corrections … and still getting criticism for being inaccurate.

Dear Friends —

More secrets revealed. More Twitter collusion with the government.

It’s been a while since we looked at the Twitter Files information being released, and it’s definitely time for an update. (In December, I wrote about Twitter’s propaganda – here it is if you want a refresher.)

The Twitter Files, which were released by Elon Musk to select journalists, show communications between Twitter higher-ups and politicians, FBI agents, and others that happened before Musk bought the company. One highlight is that Adam Schiff’s office tried to ban an investigative reporter, a move too far even for Twitter.

More government interference

In a Christmas Eve thread, Matt Taibbi shows once again how closely Twitter and the federal government worked together.

Matt Taibbi @mtaibbi

4.The files show the FBI acting as doorman to a vast program of social media surveillance and censorship, encompassing agencies across the federal government – from the State Department to the Pentagon to the CIA.

Taibbi also reveals that CIA officials attended at least one conference with Twitter in the summer of 2020. Companies including Twitter and Facebook also had “OGA briefings” in conjunction with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

Matt Taibbi @mtaibbi

9.OGA, or “Other Government Organization,” can be a euphemism for CIA, according to multiple former intelligence officials and contractors. Chuckles one: “They think it's mysterious, but it's just conspicuous."

Taibbi reports that the FBI and the “Foreign Influence Task Force” met regularly “not just with Twitter” but with a host of other companies.

Matt Taibbi @mtaibbi

17. These included Facebook, Microsoft, Verizon, Reddit, even Pinterest, and many others. Industry players also held regular meetings without government.

Rigging the Covid debate

Reporter David Zweig took over, looking at how Twitter squashed Covid information that may have been true, but was unpopular. At first, the Trump White House looked to Twitter for help:

David Zweig @davidzweig

6. At the onset of the pandemic, according to meeting notes, the Trump admin was especially concerned about panic buying. They came looking for “help from the tech companies to combat misinformation” about “runs on grocery stores.” But . . . there were runs on grocery stores.

The Biden Administration followed, with an emphasis on “anti-vaxxer” accounts.

David Zweig @davidzweig

8. When the Biden admin took over, one of their first meeting requests with Twitter executives was on Covid. The focus was on “anti-vaxxer accounts.” Especially Alex Berenson:

In 2021, just hours after President Biden said social media companies were “killing people” for allowing misinformation, Berenson was suspended and finally banned.

Zweig shares many instances where Twitter censored “misleading” accounts that were controversial, even if they were true.

Some Schiffty moves

The last batch of Twitter Files, once again reported by Taibbi, show that in 2017, Twitter bowed to pressure from Congress and media to produce “material” showing a conspiracy of Russian accounts.

Matt Taibbi @mtaibbi

17.Twitter’s search finding “only 2” significant accounts, “one of which is Russia Today,” was based on the same data that later inspired panic headlines like “Russian Influence Reached 126 Million Through Facebook Alone”:

The fact that Twitter found almost no Russian influence angered some in Congress, and they pressured the company. It all led to this:

Matt Taibbi @mtaibbi

30.“REPORTERS NOW KNOW THIS IS A MODEL THAT WORKS” This cycle – threatened legislation, wedded to scare headlines pushed by congressional/intel sources, followed by Twitter caving to moderation asks – would later be formalized in partnerships with federal law enforcement.

Taibbi reports that Twitter settled on a new MO:

In public, it removed content “at our sole discretion.” Privately, they would “off-board” anything “identified by the U.S.. intelligence community as a state-sponsored entity conducting cyber-operations.”

He also reports that the office for Democrat and House Intel Committee chief Adam Schiff wanted Twitter to ban journalist Paul Sperry. The office said Sperry “promoted false QAnon conspiracies.” You can see from the email comments that even Twitter opted not to grant Schiff’s requests then, although they did later suspend Sperry.

Matt Taibbi @mtaibbi

27.They also received an astonishing variety of requests from officials asking for individuals they didn’t like to be banned. Here, the office for Democrat and House Intel Committee chief Adam Schiff asks Twitter to ban journalist Paul Sperry:

Twitter eventually became so overwhelmed by the various requests by the government, they had to ask the FBI which was which.

Matt Taibbi @mtaibbi

39.It all led to the situation described by @ShellenbergerMD two weeks ago, in which Twitter was paid $3,415,323, essentially for being an overwhelmed subcontractor. Twitter wasn’t just paid. For the amount of work they did for government, they were underpaid.

And this is where we leave the Twitter Files for now. If things continue as they have been, there will undoubetly be more updates to come.

— Ken

CNN hires a Republican who thinks like they do …