Months ago, I testified before Congress on censorship after Elon Musk’s release of internal Twitter communications, also known as the Twitter Files. I warned that the government was engaging in “censorship by surrogate,” using corporate allies to do indirectly what it is legally prevented from doing directly.
Facebook had refused to open its own files on government censorship efforts. That came to an end when the House Judiciary Committee finally moved to hold Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress.
The resulting Facebook Files confirmed what many of us have suspected for years. Indeed, the emails proved to be a mirror image of what had occurred at Twitter — a massive effort by the government to pressure the company to censor its critics and other dissenting voices. […]
In an April 2021 email, Nick Clegg, Facebook’s president for global affairs, wrote to colleagues that Andy Slavitt, a senior adviser to Biden who was steering COVID-19 policy, “was outraged — not too strong a word to describe his reaction — that [Facebook] did not remove this post.”
The post was actually a humorous meme shared by a user named Timothy McComas. It featured actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s character from the film “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood,” pointing at a TV with a beer and cigarette in hand. The caption read: “10 years from now, you will be watching TV and hear…. ‘Did you or a loved one take the COVID vaccine? You may be entitled…’”
Slavitt was not amused. More importantly, he was irate that others were amused. Hundreds of thousands of others.
The law is clear on this: politicians or government compelling private citizens to censor is a violation of the 1st amendment. They can’t get around the constitution by going through a 3rd party. The courts aren’t that stupid.
But politicians have blatantly violated this over the last few years, often with the cameras rolling. I’m astonished this hasn’t become a major issue until recently. It shows how lax the media has become.
Rand Paul has attempted to put an end to that kind of thing legislatively but he was out-voted by the likes of Mitt Romney. Too bad he polls so low (not running for president) as to be very likely one of the few voices of reason in that dying republic. https://youtu.be/5e83Tbx_qS4
So a thin skinned bureaucrat weenie had the sadz. What else is new?
Grow some bark ya big baby.
“The post was actually a humorous meme shared by a user named Timothy McComas. It featured actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s character from the film “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood,” pointing at a TV with a beer and cigarette in hand. The caption read: “10 years from now, you will be watching TV and hear…. ‘Did you or a loved one take the COVID vaccine? You may be entitled…’”
I laughed out loud when I saw this meme. I continue to smile when I think of it, and I’ve passed it on to those on my side of the aisle who laugh at this sort of thing, including those who laughed when Joe Biden fell off his bike.
Yup. Best grin I’ve had today! 🙂
And that type of censorship applies to more topics than the Kovid Krap, it is also being used , and maybe applied differently, to the Uke/ Russo war.Maybe the unDORK , un COLON, and the stupid cgh will learn a little for this post!!!!
No surprises here. In Ontario, the LCBO (government controlled liquor store) put signs up in April 2020 to not make jokes about C19. I knew then where we were headed.
F*** covid and anyone who actually believed the crap.
VOWG
With extreme Prejudice…
RedPop, That would that be like making a joke out of a joke? Kind of like a comedic oxymoron!
I noted ,how wilfully blind “The Media” was being, as Twitter reported to their “New Owner”.
For it was obvious that all the “Social Networks” were party to this corruption.
Crickets..
And for that,there can be no forgiveness.
Our State funded Media are the enemies of the people.
The Fifth Estate are actually the Fifth Column.
Hangings First.
Trials?
Maybe later.
Dear Mr. Robertson,
I’ve got my rocking chair and I’m behind on my knitting…
Kindest regards,
M. LeFarge
Why do field work when you can run a protection racket?.. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to that successful business your running.. A sublet on a sublet on a sublet..
The politician gets the agency to send a underling to knock on the door.. The door is answered by a underling working for a agency on behalf of the owner.. Who goes to jail?.. Who pays the fine?.. Who pressed the button?..
Running our lives in cyberspace without the ability to police this space invites trouble.. Its is just a button after all..