Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: We witnessed new, stricter stances from European countries since signing new agreement with IAEA
Saree: Our UAV force targeted the so-called Ramon Airport in the Umm al-Rashrash area in southern occupied Palestine
YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: Our rocket force carried out an operation with a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile targeting a sensitive target in the occupied Yafa area
Trump administration clears first Ukraine arms aid package paid for by allies: Reuters, citing sources
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman receives Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani at his office in Al-Yamamah Palace
Wakim: Surrender is not in our dictionary, and it is not true that "Israel" can implement its project in Lebanon and the region
Wakim: The US is preventing the armament of the Lebanese army. The question is, why are the weapons it is handed over by the Resistance being destroyed?
Wakim: The Resistance is required to hand over its weapons to the [current] authority. The question is: Is this authority independent or subservient to America?

Twitter Files 10: US gov. & Twitter manipulated free speech on Covid

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 27 Dec 2022 23:44
3 Min Read

The latest files expose how the US government and politicized senior staff within Twitter imposed one narrative regarding the pandemic which aligns with CDC policies.

  • x
  • Twitter Files 10: US gov. & Twitter banned free speech on 'Covid'
    President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the Covid-19 response and the state of vaccinations on March 29. (Getty Images)

Under "How Twitter Rigged the Covid Debate", David Zweig revealed how Twitter operated in order to suppress health information and authorities that were not fully aligned with the US government's narrative regarding COVID-19.

This thread comes in the latest series of Twitter Files, aimed to reveal what was really going on behind the scenes with regard to censorship and policy the giant social media app pursued during its previous administration, where decisions were made in accordance with political views of its senior staff and governmental pressure.

Read more: Twitter, Fb, TikTok, more are run by the FBI, CIA, and NATO

"The United States government pressured Twitter and other social media platforms to elevate certain content and suppress other content about COVID-19," Zweig stated on his Twitter account on Monday.

"Whether by humans or algorithms, content that was contrarian but true was still subject to getting flagged or suppressed."

1. THREAD:

THE TWITTER FILES: HOW TWITTER RIGGED THE COVID DEBATE

– By censoring info that was true but inconvenient to U.S. govt. policy
– By discrediting doctors and other experts who disagreed
– By suppressing ordinary users, including some sharing the CDC’s *own data*

— David Zweig (@davidzweig) December 26, 2022

Related News

Trump confirms deal to transfer TikTok’s US operations to Americans

Charlie Kirk murder suspect faces formal charges in Utah court hearing

According to the author, both Trump's and Biden's administrations directly pressured the media app to censor and moderate content about the pandemic that does not promote the US government's views.

In several cases, the social media giant suppressed, "ordinary users, including some sharing the CDC’s own data," he added.

Information regarding the possible harm of the Covid vaccines or the virus's actual danger was suppressed, Zweig stated.  

Zweig noted, however, that the app did not always fulfill the government's demands, highlighting that the app's employees frequently debated "moderation cases" with greater concern toward free speech than the US government.

The author listed three problems with regard to Twitter's moderation scheme that challenged its staff's attempts to perform better regulations on cases suspected of violation of policies.

According to Zweig, the first problem was that most of the app's moderation was done via bots, the second was that contractual employees in foreign countries that were assigned to take part in the moderation process were operating outside their area of expertise, and last being the high level of bias introduced by senior staff on the operations of both the bots and contractors.

Part nine of the Twitter Files showed Twitter's deep connections to CIA & DoD operations. While part eight showed how the platform "directly assisted the U.S. military’s influence operations.

  • United States
  • CDC
  • COVID-19
  • US
  • Elon Musk
  • Twitter
  • Twitter Files
  • Joe Biden
  • Donald Trump

Most Read

Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

American far-right activist Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

  • Palestine
  • 14 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
'Israel’s' Qatar strike backfires, fueling diplomatic fallout
Politics

'Israel’s' Qatar strike backfires, fueling diplomatic fallout

'Israel' committing genocide in Gaza, UN Commission declares
Politics

'Israel' committing genocide in Gaza, UN Commission declares

Rubio supports Gaza offensive, warns few days left for diplomacy
Palestine

Rubio supports Gaza occupation, warns of tight window for deal

US adds Colombia to drug list, drawing Petro’s rebuke
Politics

US adds Colombia to drug list, drawing Petro’s rebuke

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS