Thread by @joethebrew

Hi GitHub (@GitHubPolicy, @natfriedman),

I am a very satisfied github user.

However, GitHub's recent decision to take down github.com/tsunamidemocra… worries me.

Do you exercise any discretion when deciding to comply with a government "illegal content" takedown request?

(Thread)

Spain's takedown request letter to @github states that "Tsunami Democratic has been confirmed as a criminal organization driving people to commit terrorist attacks".

Which attacks?!

Did GitHub investigate this claim at all prior to taking the site down?

github.com/github/gov-tak…

"Tsunami Democratic" has NEVER called for violence. On the contrary, it has exclusively and repeatedly called only for NON violence.

Spain's claim that it is "driving people to commit terrorist attacks" (when none have been committed) is obviously false.

tsunamidemocratic.github.io/noviolencia.ht…

So, why did @github take down the site?

Is ANY request from ANY government for ANY charge (no matter how baseless) sufficient for a takedown?

Are my github repos subject to being taken down if a govt says my political activities are "driving people to commit terrorist attacks"?

What "illegal content" was hosted at github.com/tsunamidemocra…, @GitHubPolicy?

What evidence did you request from the Spanish government for Tsunami Democratic's supposed "terrorist attacks"?

Or is @github's policy "censor first, investigate later"?
@vollmerabby

Complying with this takedown request was an error on @GitHubPolicy's part, @chacon. I hope it will quickly be corrected.

The values of @github, as far as I know, are NOT compatible with taking down a repo devoted to (exclusively NON violent) civil disobedience.

Right?

@mojombo

Please clarify whether it is @github's policy to cooperate with States in censoring the code of (explicitly and exclusively non-violent) political dissidents for "terrorist attacks"?

Are my repositories also at risk for arbitrary takedown with no evidence of a crime, @defunkt?