Revelations on Censorship During the Pandemic
Those who doubted the official narrative during the pandemic might feel they were onto something. It seems that the discussions held on social media faced influences beyond just the platforms themselves.
Investigative journalists Matt Kibbe and Matt Taibbi have shed light on significant collaboration between former President Biden’s administration and major tech companies to suppress American voices on platforms like Twitter and TikTok. Notable figures affected included Charlie Kirk and Dan Bongino, among others.
“The information that federal agencies, including the FBI, pressured social media sites for content moderation is alarming. This isn’t merely a poor business decision,” Kibbe remarked in an episode of “Muckraker.” “It’s a clear infringement on the First Amendment rights.” He elaborated that this form of censorship has persisted for years, revealing an email from the FBI that facilitated a meeting with Twitter in 2020.
In one email, the FBI referenced the importance of free speech but also requested social media companies to report on any “malignant foreign actors” using the platforms to discuss current events. Essentially, they seemed to dismiss constitutionally protected speech, suggesting that if something appeared influenced by foreign entities, they wanted to know.
Taibbi noted that the Global Engagement Center, created under an executive order by President Obama, initially focused on foreign concerns like ISIS. “But after Trump’s election, their scope expanded to domestic discussions, despite their denials,” he claimed.
With the rollout of the “Twitter Files,” Taibbi found that not just prominent figures like Kirk were blacklisted, but even respected epidemiologists like Jay Bhattacharya faced bans. Taibbi had access to documents showing Bhattacharya tagged under a “Trends Blacklist,” indicating further suppression.
“You know how Twitter provides summaries of customer activity? They had color-coded sections for different statuses on user accounts,” Taibbi explained, recalling Bhattacharya’s listing that included a prominent label about “Trends Blacklist.” Meanwhile, Kirk’s account indicated a warning not to amplify his content.
“This all pointed to a genuine shadow ban where particular accounts weren’t allowed to trend,” he emphasized, indicating that health officials were closely involved in moderating online content.
In the fifth episode of “Cover-Up,” Kibbe and Taibbi unraveled how federal health agencies teamed up with tech giants, promoting fear and obscuring the government’s role concerning the virus.
