Twitter Files: FBI accuses 'conspiracy theorists' of defaming agency

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Dec 2022 23:39
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The Twitter Files have been exposing the FBI and other institutional bodies over their intervention in the moderation of Twitter content to protect Pentagon propaganda for years.

FBI statement on Twitter Files

In a statement published on Wednesday by the FBI, the bureau said its correspondence with Twitter "shows nothing more than examples of our traditional, longstanding and ongoing federal government and private sector engagements, which involve numerous companies across multiple sectors and industries."

The bureau considers it provided "as evidenced by correspondence, critical information to the private sector in an effort to enable them to protect themselves and their clients."

"The men and women of the FBI work every day to protect the American public," the statement reads.

It further slammed people who disclosed the information as "conspiracy theorists" and accused them of distorting information for the sole purpose of discrediting the agency.

"It is regrettable that conspiracy theorists and others are fueling misinformation in the American public for the sole purpose of attempting to discredit the agency," the statement concluded.

The Twitter Files reveal how the FBI intervened in the moderation of Twitter content to protect Pentagon propaganda for years.

In part 6, whose revelations were made by journalist Matt Taibbi, the social network's relationship with the FBI was exposed.

Taibbi said that "Twitter's contact with the FBI was constant and pervasive, as if it were a subsidiary" and the documents demonstrate the "hyper-intrusive" nature of the intelligence service.

According to the evidence provided, the FBI was "collaborating" with the platform's former team to moderate its content and order the suspension of several accounts.

In response to the revelations, an FBI spokesperson told Fox News that "the FBI regularly engages with private sector entities to provide information specific to identified foreign malign influence actors’ subversive, undeclared, covert, or criminal activities."

"Private sector entities independently make decisions about what, if any, action they take on their platforms and for their customers after the FBI has notified them," he added.

This response prompted Matt Taibbi to further disclose additional files to reject the claim that "private sector entities enjoyed independence" in decision-making.

The correspondence letters that were revealed by Taibbi expose the pressures that were exerted on the moderation team of the social network.

But it doesn't stop here.

In part 7, author Michael Shellenberger reveals how the FBI discredited reports of Joe Biden's son's overseas "business affairs" that were published by the New York Post.

This particular case was the main reason why the Twitter Files were launched.

The process also highlighted other measures adopted by the previous team to censor users or justify the suspension of their accounts, including that of Donald Trump.

Twitter's new boss, Elon Musk, wanted to prove that the platform had "interfered" in previous presidential elections.

The new boss of the social network, Elon Musk, wanted to prove that the platform "interfered" in the previous presidential elections.

What are Twitter Files?

Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, is the mastermind behind the so-called Twitter Files. He has stated that he wants to demonstrate "what really happened" about behind-the-scenes content moderation choices at the social media business before he acquired it in October.

Three journalists, Matt Taibbi, Bari Weiss, and Michael Shellenberger, have been delving into internal documents and conversations to highlight the company's decision-making process surrounding some high-profile actions, such as banning former President Donald Trump in January 2020. The Twitter Files have been released in bits and pieces throughout December.