Twitter Files 3, Pt. 1: Removing Donald Trump from Twitter

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Twitter Files 3, released by Matt Taibbi, reveals what led to the removal of then-President Donald Trump from October 2020 to January 6. A few leftist Twitter executives had the power to swing the election.

Taibbi promises to go beyond what we already know about January 6 and DJT’s Twitter banning.

MATT TAIBBI REPORT

We’ll show you what hasn’t been revealed: the erosion of standards within the company in months before J6, decisions by high-ranking executives to violate their own policies, and more, against the backdrop of ongoing, documented interaction with federal agencies.

This first installment covers the period before the election through January 6th. Tomorrow, @Shellenbergermd will detail the chaos inside Twitter on January 7th. On Sunday, @BariWeiss will reveal the secret internal communications from the key date of January 8th.

Whatever your opinion on the decision to remove Trump that day, the internal communications at Twitter between January 6th-January 8th have clear historical import. Even Twitter’s employees understood in the moment it was a landmark moment in the annals of speech.

As soon as they finished banning Trump, Twitter execs started processing new power. They prepared to ban future presidents and White Houses – perhaps even Joe Biden. The “new administration,” says one exec, “will not be suspended by Twitter unless absolutely necessary.”

Twitter executives removed Trump in part over what one executive called the “context surrounding”: actions by Trump and supporters “over the course of the election and frankly last 4+ years.” In the end, they looked at a broad picture. But that approach can cut both ways.

The bulk of the internal debate leading to Trump’s ban took place in those three January days. However, the intellectual framework was laid in the months preceding the Capitol riots.

Before J6, Twitter was a unique mix of automated, rules-based enforcement, and more subjective moderation by senior executives. As @BariWeiss reported, the firm had a vast array of tools for manipulating visibility, most all of which were thrown at Trump (and others) pre-J6.

As the election approached, senior executives – perhaps under pressure from federal agencies, with whom they met more as time progressed – increasingly struggled with rules, and began to speak of “vios” as pretexts to do what they’d likely have done anyway.

After J6, internal Slacks show Twitter executives getting a kick out of intensified relationships with federal agencies. Here’s Trust and Safety head Yoel Roth, lamenting a lack of “generic enough” calendar descriptions to concealing his “very interesting” meeting partners.

These initial reports are based on searches for docs linked to prominent executives, whose names are already public. They include Roth, former trust and policy chief Vijaya Gadde, and recently plank-walked Deputy General Counsel (and former top FBI lawyer) Jim Baker.

One particular slack channel offers an unique window into the evolving thinking of top officials in late 2020 and early 2021.

As the election approached, senior executives – perhaps under pressure from federal agencies, with whom they met more as time progressed – increasingly struggled with rules, and began to speak of “vios” as pretexts to do what they’d likely have done anyway.

After J6, internal Slacks show Twitter executives getting a kick out of intensified relationships with federal agencies. Here’s Trust and Safety head Yoel Roth, lamenting a lack of “generic enough” calendar descriptions to concealing his “very interesting” meeting partners.

These initial reports are based on searches for docs linked to prominent executives, whose names are already public. They include Roth, former trust and policy chief Vijaya Gadde, and recently plank-walked Deputy General Counsel (and former top FBI lawyer) Jim Baker.

One particular slack channel offers an unique window into the evolving thinking of top officials in late 2020 and early 2021.

There was at least some tension between Safety Operations – a larger department whose staffers used a more rules-based process for addressing issues like porn, scams, and threats – and a smaller, more powerful cadre of senior policy execs like Roth and Gadde.

On October 8th, 2020, executives opened a channel called “us2020_xfn_enforcement.” Through J6, this would be home for discussions about election-related removals, especially ones that involved “high-profile” accounts (often called “VITs” or “Very Important Tweeters”).

There was at least some tension between Safety Operations – a larger department whose staffers used a more rules-based process for addressing issues like porn, scams, and threats – and a smaller, more powerful cadre of senior policy execs like Roth and Gadde.

TO BE CONTINUED…


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GuvGeek
GuvGeek
2 years ago

Section 230 gives Website protection against what Third Parties Post on Blogs and Websites. Third Party Post should always be viewed as opinion and openly debated. The First Amendment gives People the Absolute Right to say ANYTHING when it comes to Political Speech. Without that Absolute Right, People can not weed out Government Corruption. As I read it, Section 230 does not protect Media from Political Censorship, puting their foot on the scale of debate, or spreading Government Propaganda as hard news or science. Media still needs to do Due Diligence when calling something News and must make it clear when they are providing Editorial Comment, not vetted news. When Flagging someone’s opinion, the Media Orgainization Must Be open to a law suit and must be able to support their “Fact Checking” in a Court of Law.

The Government, through the FBI and DoJ, used Private Businesses like Twitter to Hide the Government Bureaucracies from Stealing Elections in both 2020 and 2022; possible 2016 and 2018. People in both Government and Social Media Organizations have violated 1st Amendment protections and committed Treason; the overthrow of the Government. “Doing what I was told” is not a Defense. This was nothing less than an Organized Crime Conspiracy that should be investigated under the RICO Statutes. ALL the People involved need to be Charged, Convicted, and Sentenced Accordingly. The people at the top should have a date with the Gallows.

Yelling Fire in Theater for fun is not Political Speech, but calling for the Assassination, Literal Tar & Feathering, Harassing, Jailing, Recall, etc. of an Elected Politician or even an obviously Corrupt Bureaucrat is and should be protected Political Speech. Politics is not an organized after school extracurricular activity. Politics is dirty and dangerous because it materially affects people’s lives. When you screw with people’s life, you piss people off. Being a Politician does not give you a right to suppress The People’s Speech. We can’t have Politicians able to Commit Slander on the Floor of the Congress and The People not able to call them out on it. even in vulgar terms. When you suppress people’s speech and expression of their feelings about Government and Government Corruption you do 2 things. You piss people off even more and you create underground guerilla organizations in addition to lone wolves who will attack both Government and people who are perceived to be supporting government. All too often this results in Civil War.

Joe Biden runs a classic Criminal Crime Family. There is clear evidence of his criminal activities being suppressed by the FBI making the FBI and DoJ a Material Co-conspirator in these Criminal Activities. There is clear Evidence that Joe Biden is Compromised. There is also the possibility that members of the Congress are Compromised, Anyone in the FBI, DoJ, and CIA with knowledge of these criminal activities who hasn’t come forward as a Whistle Blower to reveal these activities has committed Treason. Everyone in these Government Bureaucracies took an oath to Defend the Constitution, not an oath of allegiance to the “emperor Joe Biden”.

While Political Speech is absolutely protected, other speech such as Porn is not. Communities have a right to regulate that so called speech. Communities have an obligation to protect minors from “adult” speech and parents who don’t protect their children from “adult” speech and activity should be considered bad parents and in extreme cases charged with child abuse. Exposing minors to people with Gender Dysphoria is child abuse. Teaching children about sex in school is child abuse, since this is a subject that can not be taught at an arbitrary age and must be taught by parents when the “Parent” feels the child is mature enough to understand more than just biological functions of sex.

Schools need to stop their War on Religion, especially the War on Christianity. All major religions should be taught in school as part of Social Studies and Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance MUST BE part of everyday school life even in Public School. School Boards must also have the right to fire anyone working in the school system who does not conform to a moral code created by the Community encompassing the values of the Community. Screw Teacher Unions, they need to be outlawed along with all government employee unions.

Unlike in Totalitarian Nations, in America you have a right to move if you don’t like your community’s values. You don’t have a right to use Government to impose your minority values on the community. If you want to live in a hell hole like San Francisco, LA or NYC, that’s your choice. Don’t bring your Insanity to my Community.

We have a problem today with minorities using the Government to impose extreme minority values on the Nation and this must stop! Politically Tar & Feathering Politicians who support this madness should help them see the light. Communities should pass laws restricting media companies and other businesses from public activities that are contrary to the Community’s moral values and vigorously defend those laws. I’m also all for stronger enforcement of the FCC Community Code of Conduct and a return to say 1950/1960 standards for Broadcast TV and Radio. Fines should be focused solely on Community Standards and Community Complaints. It’s a Parents obligation when it comes to the Internet and Cable/satellite TV.