Thread by @bfcarlson

What is the real story of the Twitter Files? It's a much bigger deal than many realize.

I've spent hours reading the great reporting (now thousands of words in 7+ parts) by @mtaibbi, @bariweiss, and @ShellenbergerMD.

Here are 7 crucial takeaways everyone needs to know:

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD 1. History changed because of this:

•Hunter Biden's alleged corruption censored
•Covid 19 lockdown debate stifled
•Trump silenced

You may agree with each decision. But there is no denying that halting information flow and free debate had real consequences.

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD 2. Many things called conspiracy theories were true:

•FBI was working w Twitter and paid TW $ millions
•Blacklists & shadow bans were real
•US intel lobbied to censor accounts
•Covid-19 convo heavily manipulated
•Twitter rules changed & enforced by whim

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD 3. Censorship is being cloaked in the language of safety:

• 'Safety, harm, violence' redefined to apply to ideas
• Opinions & info deemed 'unsafe' subject to silencing
• Jokes, memes, questions about origin of covid off limits

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD 4. The government is policing opinion:

• FBI has 80 staff monitoring speech
• Small accounts on left and right flagged
• FBI held frequent meetings w TW
• Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram = similar?
• Private censors & police control what you say to whom.

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD 5. Social media executives lie freely:

•Twitter execs repeatedly and publicly denied shadow bans
•In reality, bans were in place as "visibility filtering"
•Ultimately, no accountability to public

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD 6. Free speech is controlled by a small group:

•Biggest decisions in Twitter Files made by 3-4 individuals
•Despite misgivings and doubts, once made, decisions stuck
•Now it's Musk.

One difference: his embrace of public polls to set policy.

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD 7. The slippery slope is real:

•Staff rebellion led to Trump ban
•Staff called for more covid-19 censorship
•2021-22 saw increase of bans and 'one-offs'

This is how you get Billy Baldwin in the crosshairs.

Once you silence a president, who has a right to speak?

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD Bonus as @elonmusk steps away.

8. Musk has made enemies:

•Leaking to indy media
•Expressing opinions on Fauci
•Suspending journalist accounts

I expect his businesses will see counterattacks. Now is a good time to refocus—and let the users decide how to uphold free speech.

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD @elonmusk TLDR

1. History changed
2. Conspiracy theories true
3. 'Safety' = censorship
4. Government policed ideas
5. Executives lied
6. Speech controlled by small group
7. Slippery slope is real
8. Musk must watch out

@mtaibbi @bariweiss @ShellenbergerMD @elonmusk Found this interesting?

My mission is to empower people to become independent of the forces that want to control them.

If you'd like to continue the conversation, please follow me @bfcarlson and consider giving the first post a RT. Thanks.

https://twitter.com/bfcarlson/status/1604925413033123849

9. Twitter protects and facilitates propaganda networks:

•Supported military psychological operations (psyops)
•Willingly served as weapon of information warfare
•White listed psyop accounts while shadow banning citizens

The newest report comes from @lhfang.