Elon Musk drops new details on Twitter's suppression of Hunter Biden laptop

[Valin]

The Washington Examiner

Ryan King, Breaking News Reporter
December 02, 2022 08:21 PM

Twitter chief Elon Musk made good on his pledge to drop new information about the company's behind-the-scenes machinations about the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story in October 2020.

Musk retweeted a thread from journalist Matt Taibbi, who slowly rolled out information from the so-called Twitter files. The thread revealed that Twitter mulled requests from political groups to suppress material.

ELON MUSK TEASES ANSWERS TO THE HUNTER BIDEN TWITTER SUPPRESSION WILL BE LIVE AT 5 FRIDAY

The outspoken CEO had teased Friday that he would divulge the new information at 5 p.m. Eastern time but subsequently announced there would be a significant delay because the company was "double-checking some facts."

Matt Taibbi

@mtaibbi

1. Thread: THE TWITTER FILES

 

5:34 PM · Dec 2, 2022

 

Matt Taibbi

@mtaibbi

2. What you’re about to read is the first installment in a series, based upon thousands of internal documents obtained by sources at Twitter.

 

5:39 PM · Dec 2, 2022

(Snip)

[Valin]

Dec 2, 2022

Twitter chief Elon Musk made good on his pledge to drop new information about the company's behind-the-scenes machinations about the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story in October 2020.

Musk retweeted a thread from journalist Matt Taibbi, who slowly rolled out information from the so-called "Twitter files." The thread revealed that Twitter mulled requests from political groups to suppress material.

[Valin]

 

 

[Valin]

Rolling Stone (font of all wisdom & knowledge

Former Employees React to Elon Musk’s ‘Twitter Files’ as Snoozefest

[Valin]

BREAKING: Former Twitter 'Trust & Safety' boss enraged by publication of Hunter Biden files, claims posting names of censors puts them 'in harm's way'

[Valin]

 New York Post

Hunter Biden laptop bombshell: Twitter invented reason to censor Post’s reporting
Victor Nava, Kenneth Garger and Bruce Golding    
December 2, 2022 7:18pm

That is “f—ed.” 

Twitter “just freelanced” its baseless decision to censor The Post’s bombshell Hunter Biden laptop scoop in the run up to the 2020 election — with top-level workers at the social media giant agreeing that controversial decision was “f–ked,” damning insider communications released by CEO Elon Musk Friday reveal. 

The chaos and confusion behind closed doors at Twitter in the immediate aftermath of the October 2020 Hunter Biden expose show that a small group of top-level execs decided to label the Post’s story as “hacked material” without any evidence — behind the back of then-CEO and founder Jack Dorsey. 

Musk tweeted a link to the account of independent journalist Matt Taibbi shortly after 6 p.m., who shed light on Twitter’s shady censorship decision by posting what appeared to be redacted emails between Twitter employees. 

The decision to censor The Post’s story was made “at the highest levels of the company,” according to Taibbi, but without Dorsey’s involvement. 

(Snip)

He stopped short of revealing who was responsible for the blunder.

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Bold Me I Want Names. I wantt to know WHY. WHY Someone though This was ok?

[Geee]

‘The First Amendment Isn’t Absolute’: Democrat Staffers Wanted Twitter to Censor More

 

Twitter Files Reveal DNC Requested Censorship of James Woods

[Geee]

Elon Musk teases MORE explosive Twitter censorship revelations today, as it's revealed just one Dem stood up to 'gutless' execs for blocking Hunter Biden laptop story

 

• Musk vowed to release second installment of his 'Twitter Files' on Saturday 
• Journalist Matt Taibbi Friday began publishing the internal Twitter documents
• They showed the shocking political influence on content moderation at the site
• Taibbi conducted his probe with the cooperation of new Twitter chief Elon Musk
• Emails showed staffers censoring tweets at the behest of the Joe Biden's team
• His campaign made requests for tweets to be taken down - and Twitter complied

[Geee]

Tucker Carlson Calls Twitter Files The Biggest ‘First Amendment Violation In Modern History’

Fox News host Tucker Carlson said Friday that documents released by Elon Musk and journalist Matt Taibbi detail a massive “systemic violation” of the First Amendment.

“One of the most extraordinary moments in the history of social media is unfolding right now as we speak. It began when Elon Musk took control of Twitter. When he bought the company, he promised to reveal its corruption, the extent to which Twitter engaged in politically motivated censorship, including the unlawful illegal censorship of American citizens at the direction of the U.S. government.”

[Geee]

Musk Releases ‘Hunter Biden’ Files: Tweets Deleted At Behest Of Team Biden, Exec Was Key Behind Censorship Decision

Taibbi began by explaining that the company was “slowly forced to add … tools for controlling speech [that] were designed to combat the likes of spam and financial fraudsters.”

“Slowly, over time, Twitter staff and executives began to find more and more uses for these tools. Outsiders began petitioning the company to manipulate speech as well: first a little, then more often, then constantly,” Taibbi said. “By 2020, requests from connected actors to delete tweets were routine. One executive would write to another: ‘More to review from the Biden team.’ The reply would come back: ‘Handled.’”

“Celebrities and unknowns alike could be removed or reviewed at the behest of a political party,” Taibbi continued. “Both parties had access to these tools. For instance, in 2020, requests from both the Trump White House and the Biden campaign were received and honored. However: This system wasn’t balanced. It was based on contacts. Because Twitter was and is overwhelmingly staffed by people of one political orientation, there were more channels, more ways to complain, open to the left (well, Democrats) than the right.”

[Valin]

2 minutes ago, Geee said:

*'The First Amendment Isn’t Absolute’: Democrat Staffers Wanted Twitter to Censor More

 

**Twitter Files Reveal DNC Requested Censorship of James Woods

* Some  of us have realized this for some time. This is NOT the same Democratic party as (say) 2002. Remember who said  "We Are 3 days away from fundamentally changing America". I believe Jan. 20 2009 is  the day The Change started.

**

 

Dec 2, 2022
Actor joins 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' to react to reports the DNC ordered Twitter to remove the actor's tweets, telling the government, 'I am not afraid of you.'

_______________________________________________________

I get the impression  James is a tad...Miffed

[Geee]

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna expressed concerns over Twitter’s censorship of Hunter Biden laptop story

"Khanna was the only Democratic official I could find in the files who expressed concern" about the move to censor the story, Taibbi tweeted Friday night.

[Geee]

Who is Vijaya Gadde, the Twitter exec involved in censoring Post’s Hunter Biden laptop bombshell?

She was reportedly the main force behind the decision to permanently ban then-President Donald Trump from the platform after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. 

The 48-year-old Gadde, who earned $17 million in salary at the company last year, broke down in tears in April when addressing colleagues about the future of Twitter once Musk moved to takeover the company.

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley pointed out on Twitter at the time that the tearful Gadde was “the same one who led the charge to censor the Hunter Biden laptop reporting. Says it all.”

Lara Cohen, Twitter’s then head of global partners, responded to the flood of online criticism against Gadde by accusing Musk of “misogyny.”

During her tenure, Gadde also reportedly presided over decisions to ban other right-wing figures from Twitter, such as provocateur Milo Yiannapolis and self-described journalist Charles “Chuck” Johnson. :snip:

[Geee]

Democracy': Dems Colluded With Twitter to Affect the Outcome of the 2020 Election and the Media Doesn't Care

After years of decrying “Russian influence” in our elections, and lambasting Republicans for questioning election outcomes (despite new Democrat House leader Hakeem Jeffries being one of the great deniers of all time), you’d think the media would be issuing blanket coverage of this outrageous and undemocratic action by the social media bluebird.

Not so. As of 8:11 PM PST, over 5 hours after the news started breaking on Matt Taibbi’s Twitter account (an event which was publicized well in advance by Musk), the Usual Suspects in journalism could barely find the space in their pages to mention it. A rundown:

New York Times: No mention of the censorship on the front page of its website. Instead, the only article was titled, “Twitter Keeps Missing Its Advertising Targets as Woes Mount.”

The Washington Post: Their only mention of Twitter was, “Gio Reyna has played seven minutes. This World Cup, he’s the talk of Soccer Twitter.”

The Los Angeles Times: “Ye suspended from Twitter for violating rules on inciting violence, Musk says.” No mention of Hunter Biden or censorship or election interference.

CNN: “Kanye West’s Twitter account has been suspended after Elon Musk says it violated rule against incitement to violence.” Way down on the page, another story was titled, “Released Twitter emails show how employees debated how to handle 2020 New York Post Hunter Biden story.” This is a classic head fake. The employees didn’t just “debate’ the Hunter Biden story—they actively plotted to cancel it. Talk about fake news.

[Valin]

Elon Musk vicariously publishes internal emails from Twitter’s Hunter Biden laptop drama
Taylor Hatmaker

10:26 PM CST•December 2, 2022

Elon Musk reminded his followers on Friday that owning Twitter now means he controls every aspect of the company — including what its employees said behind closed doors before he took over.

Earlier this week, Musk teased the release of what he called “The Twitter Files,” declaring that the public “deserves to know what really happened” behind the scenes during Twitter’s decision to stifle a story about Hunter Biden back in 2020.

On Friday evening, Musk delivered, sort of. Twitter’s new owner shared a thread from author and Substack writer Matt Taibbi who is apparently now in possession of the trove of internal documents, which he opted to painstakingly share one tweet at a time, in narrative form.

Taibbi noted on his Substack that he had to “agree to certain conditions” in order to land the story, though he declined to elaborate about what the conditions were. (We’d suspect that sharing the documents in tweet form to boost the platform’s engagement must have been on the list.)

(Snip)

Musk has been preoccupied with a handful of specific content moderation decisions since before deciding to buy the company. His frustration that Twitter suspended the conservative satire site The Babylon Bee over a transphobic tweet appears to be the reason he even decided to buy Twitter to begin with.

Now two years after it happened, the Hunter Biden social media controversy is still a sore spot for conservatives, right wing media and Twitter’s new ownership. The platform’s past policy controversies are mostly irrelevant now with Musk at the wheel, but he apparently still has an axe to grind with the Twitter of yore — and we’re seeing that unfold in real(ish) time.

[Valin]

'Humiliating Sh*t’: Corporate Media And Liberals Circle The Wagon, Attack Matt Taibbi For Unveiling ‘Twitter Files’

______________________________________

Tim Miller @Timodc

Matt Taibbi is very upset that the Biden campaign asked a platform to take down some revenge porn targeting the candidates son. I’m sure matt would be totes cool with people tweeting out his adult kids dick bc they didn’t like him and would not ask his buddy Elon to help.

_____________________________________________________________________________

H/T

American Thinker

 

As far as Corporate Media is concerned this is a 1/2 day story...Nothing  to see here ...Move along.

[Valin]

 

[Geee]

Left-wing journos attack reporter Matt Taibbi for exposing Musk’s Twitter files

[Geee]

We Can Reasonably Blame Former Twitter Executives' Censorship for at Least Five Major Consequences

 

Friday night, journalist Matt Taibbi provided the first installment of internal Twitter communications. The first dump focused on the suppression of information during the 2020 Election, specifically the censorship of Hunter Biden’s laptop. According to Twitter CEO Elon Musk, there is more to come about shadow banning and other forms of censorship as thousands more pages are released. Still, taking what we have already learned at face value, some former Twitter executives have quite a bit to answer for.

 

While Jack Dorsey was CEO at the time, the communications released by Musk indicate he did not have a role in significant censorship decisions. Perhaps this was to maintain plausible deniability, or maybe he really believes it was a huge mistake. The communications clearly show Legal, Public Policy & Trust and Safety Lead Vijaya Gadde and Deputy General Counsel Jim Baker approving major censorship decisions, like the New York Post story on the laptop. It also shows them bending Twitter rules to fit the DNC and Biden campaign’s need for censorship.

Let’s begin with the premise that suppressing the content of Hunter Biden’s laptop affected the outcome of the 2020 Election. The Media Research Center (MRC) conducted one of the only polls about how the information on the computer would have affected the way people voted. MRC’s analysis found that full awareness of the Hunter Biden scandal would have led 9.4% of Biden voters to abandon the Democratic candidate. This would have flipped all six of the swing states Biden won to Trump, giving the former President 311 electoral votes.

[Geee]

Elon Musk Adds Bari Weiss to the 'Twitter Files' Team, Which is Sure to Cause Mass Consternation

Is Elon Musk just trolling at this point? That’s a real possibility given who he’s chosen to give access to the now infamous “Twitter files” surrounding the censorship of the Hunter Biden story. It’s not that the reporters involved aren’t great at their jobs. On the contrary, they are excellent choices in that regard. Rather, it’s the hysterical reactions they elicit.

First came Matt Taibbi, who spent Friday evening posting revelations from the document dump. Naturally, he was excoriated by his leftwing colleagues who feel Americans are too stupid to have unfettered access to information. Now, Musk is upping the ante, giving Bari Weiss access to mine the files as well.

 

For reasons I’ve never quite understood, Weiss is roundly hated by the mean girls club that is the mainstream media. After essentially being forced out at The New York Times, she spilled the beans on just how corrupt and biased her former employer is. That made her a bit of a pariah, with mentions of her name causing mass consternation across the press corps.

What’s so silly about that dynamic is that Weiss is actually fairly liberal, at least in the traditional sense. What makes her different, though, is that she’s fair-minded and willing to tackle topics others don’t want to touch for partisan reasons. Namely, there are some groups of people the mainstream media hates to offer any non-negative coverage to, and Weiss has been willing to tell their stories with an unbiased eye.

[Geee]

Censorship by surrogate: Why Musk’s document dump could be a game changer - Jonathan Turley

 

“Handled.” That one word, responding to a 2020 demand to censor a list of Twitter users, speaks volumes about the thousands of documents released by Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, on Friday night. As many of us have long suspected, there were back channels between Twitter and the Biden 2020 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to ban critics or remove negative stories. Those seeking to discuss the scandal were simply “handled,” and nothing else had to be said.

Ultimately, the New York Post was suspended from Twitter for reporting on the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. Twitter even blocked users from sharing the Post’s story by using a tool designed for child pornography. Even Trump White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was suspended for linking to the scandal.

[Valin]

9 minutes ago, Geee said:

Elon Musk Adds Bari Weiss to the 'Twitter Files' Team, Which is Sure to Cause Mass Consternation

 

"There Is Something Happening Here,

What t Is Ain't Exactly Clear"

Stephen Stills (For What Its Worth 1966)

Bari Weiss, Matt Taibbi, James Lindsay, Peter Boghossian, Helen Pluckrose,  (Sometimes) Bill Maher could go on. You can say Many things about these folks, Right Wing Ain't one of them! Ye when we win his fight It will be people like these who really made a  Huge contribution to the win, and a return to Free Speech. 

[Valin]

Elon Is Catching On

John Hinderaker

Dec. 3 2022

I was initially skeptical of Elon Musk. After all, he has never been, or claimed to be, a conservative, and he voted not only for Barack Obama but for Slow Joe Biden. But give the man credit: he is catching on fast.

Thus his apt characterization of the utterly dishonest New York Times:

Clay Travis

@ClayTravis

There is not one single article about @elonmusk or the @twitter email release last night on @nytimes app this morning.

7:41 AM · Dec 3, 2022

 

___________________________________________

Elon Musk

@elonmusk

 

Replying to @ClayTravis @Twitter and @nytimes

That is because The New York Times has become, for all intents and purposes, an unregistered lobbying firm for far left politicians

 

12:38 PM · Dec 3, 2022

_____________________________________________________________

[Valin]

NRO

Twitter Exec Who Suppressed Hunter Biden Laptop Story Calls Libs of TikTok, Babylon Bee ‘Dangerous’

 

[SDwaters]

Bottom line:

He/she/they/it knows that giving the outrageous postings on Tik Tok a wider audience, or using obvious satire to point out the that the "Emperor has no clothes" is dangerous politically to the left.  

When the general population starts laughing at them, they're done.