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The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

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Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#151

Post by catiopatio »

whatsu wrote: post #94
froggertoaster wrote: post #29

You can downplay this all you want - but remember: stuff like this is a microcosm of a larger issue. Sections of your government worked directly with Twitter to control what information you saw. Much bigger organizations - Facebook comes to mind - must be doing the same thing every.single.day. And no one finds this even a little bit alarming?

It is true that governments have always had an influence on how we live our lives, whether through traditional media like newspapers and television, or more modern platforms like social media. This is not a new phenomenon, but rather something that has always existed in society. However, with the proliferation of the internet and social media, it has become easier for governments to monitor and regulate online conten…

I believe your comment represents speech that puts the well-being of society at serious risk, is harmful, and possibly even extremist.

If I manage to convince 50.1% of the population of the same, should we be permitted to censor your speech, and enforce prior restraint on your future speech under penalty of law?

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#152

Post by Fellshard »

akiselev wrote: post #137
Fellshard wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

The FBI? The party that tried to blackmail MLK into killing himself? That FBI?

Institutions drift in loyalty and direction, but corruption and lack of accountability fester regardless. Is it difficult to believe that it continues to abuse its power, and will ally itself with whichever party endorses that abuse?

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#153

Post by SyzygistSix »

bell-cot wrote: post #108

Maybe I'm dating myself...but how different is this, really, from stuff that was routine back in the days of J Edgar Hoover (FBI Director, 1935-1972)? Other than "with computers and the internet" instead of "with paper files and typewriters"? Idealistic youthful utopianism, techno- or otherwise, does not change human nature. And ignorance of history is a really poor recipe for long-term success.

I don't find it incredible that Russia and China conduct disinformation campaigns via social media, regarding our elections and all manner of things. The accusation that they have used social media to inflame groups on both sides of the political divide in the US seems credible to me.

However I'm not okay with unilateral censorship as a response necessarily. But I'd be okay with a tag on postings and accounts maybe. I'm not sure what the solution is, despite concerns over both foreign influence and domestic censorship.

For now, if an item seems to demonize Americans or Westerners on the right OR the left, I try to be very skeptical.

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#154

Post by oprah »

joshuamorton wrote: post #139
poszlem wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you show me when it made front page in the US media?

I mean it helps that it isn't front page news. It's completely reasonable to disagree about the scale of a story. Most people disagree with you and shellenberger that this is important. What place do you have to demand that we interpret things the same way you do?

"most people" cannot disagree with them about the story's importance, because "most people" haven't heard about the it thanks to the suppression campaign. That's the whole issue you are trying to downplay.

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#155

Post by jimbob45 »

monsecchris wrote: post #13

The people trying to minimise every intelligence agency working with every tech company on behalf of the Democratic Party are the same people calling this a dangerous far right conspiracy theory not long ago.

I thought Musk and co did a decent job showing that both the Democrats and the Republicans both had access to the tools of censorship and used them at regular intervals. This should have been a nice time for everyone to come together against tool misuse - if everyone is guilty, then there is no need to pass judgement. Instead both sides are blaming one another (justifiably) while ignoring their own misuse (unjustifiably).

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#156

Post by Jarwain »

creato wrote: post #110
akira2501 wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

> You people are very quick to muddy the waters here. Funny, I’d say it was people that can’t seem to cite any evidence without dick pics that are “muddying the waters”. I’ve read these twitter files posts from Taibbi and Weiss. It’s all insinuations based on contact between government agencies and twitter. The actual content being discussed is not interesting. The biggest red flag this is all raising for me is why F…

Mismatch in incentives and priority? My impression is that the FBI only has a team or two dedicated to these searches. However, it is much closer to their mandate to keep an eye out on election misinformation and otherwise "protect our democracy"

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#157

Post by shitlord »

whatsu wrote: post #94
froggertoaster wrote: post #29

You can downplay this all you want - but remember: stuff like this is a microcosm of a larger issue. Sections of your government worked directly with Twitter to control what information you saw. Much bigger organizations - Facebook comes to mind - must be doing the same thing every.single.day. And no one finds this even a little bit alarming?

It is true that governments have always had an influence on how we live our lives, whether through traditional media like newspapers and television, or more modern platforms like social media. This is not a new phenomenon, but rather something that has always existed in society. However, with the proliferation of the internet and social media, it has become easier for governments to monitor and regulate online conten…

> However, it is important to recognize that the collective good and well-being of society should always be a priority, and that includes protecting against harmful or extremist ideas that could cause harm to others.

As an American, I disagree. We are a sovereign country, and people from other countries don't have any say in how we conduct ourselves. It doesn't whether it's online or offline.

American Nazis and Tankies have the first amendment right to spread their dumb ideas. If they want to make their own websites, that's fine with me. The government should mind its own business unless there are actual crimes taking place.

The rest of the world doesn't have to like it. It's just the way it's going to be.

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#158

Post by SyzygistSix »

stefan_ wrote: post #5

Can't wait for Matt to hit the motherlode: Elon banning journalists out of personal spite, making a poll to unban them but underhandedly demanding they delete their (never rule-breaking) tweets. Just a few more searches and he will hit it for sure! Unless his handlers demand he ignore that, of course.

What on earth happened to Matt Tiabbi and Glenn Greenwald? Does a certain amount of exposure to news and conspiracy break people at a certain point? I occasionally worry that they didn't change but that I did.

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#159

Post by spamizbad »

mef wrote: post #9

I’ve been trying to read these Twitter files threads thoughtfully, and maybe it’s just a sign of the current average level of comfort with government involvement with social media platforms, but I’m generally not seeing much issue with the stuff being revealed. the worst thing about this particular thread seems like the govt agencies talking to Twitter about foreign influence are overreaching a bit (eg asking them to…

I feel like if someone made a bunch of threats on Twitter and then followed through with them people would be completely outraged why the FBI didn’t stop them.

Anyway it’s interesting we are having this debate TODAY when after 9/11 and a decade later the adroit use of social media by ISIL the alphabet agencies were crawling all over the internet. Pandora’s box was opened years ago.

Re: The FBI was the primary link between the intelligence community and Twitter

#160

Post by cyberphobe »

machina_ex_deus wrote: post #130
cyberphobe wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m fine with the government shutting down anti-democratic movements. I’m not fine with anti-democratic governments shutting down legitimate discussion that looks bad on them, or serving a foreign power. These are not the same thing.

Then all it will take to lose your democracy is for a dictator to proclaim his opponents a danger to democracy. Maybe using a Reichstag fire. You can't fight evil with evil, or fight undemocratic tyrants with undemocratic measures. Introducing vulnerabilities into your democratic system is a double edged sword.

> all it will take to lose your democracy is for a dictator to proclaim his opponents a danger to democracy.

This is true, but your framing of it as something that could be stopped if… something? is absurd

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