reSee.it - Related Video Feed

The speaker discusses the issue of censorship in the United States and how it is eroding freedom of speech. They explain that censorship is now being justified under the guise of fighting disinformation and misinformation, and that even factual and truthful statements can be labeled as disinformation and censored. The speaker highlights the role of the government in directing these censorship efforts, particularly in relation to the military industrial complex and the defense industry. They also discuss the censorship of the 2020 election and the manipulation of public opinion through coordinated efforts between government agencies and mainstream media. The speaker warns that platforms like X, which currently offer more freedom of speech, are under pressure and may face increased censorship in the future.

"Today's misinformation is always tomorrow's truth. It's always the government who wants to censor people who are critical of the government." "Europe is trying to police everyone and shake down American tech companies, which is exactly what the digital markets act looked like. That is what's at stake here, and that is not how our First Amendment works." "Everything our government here in The United States told us about COVID turned out to be false. If you criticize any of the things they initially told you, you had to be censored." "When Elon bought Twitter, now it's a place where the first amendment and free speech are right where they need to be." "The spillover effect it can have on, American content being seen by European users." "The answer to stupid speech, bad speech, and wrong speech is more speech." "the hallmark of Western culture is free expression." "There were 12,183 arrests for offensive post online." "Global Alliance for Responsible Media." "Disinformation governance board."

The speaker believes dislike of social media is growing, exacerbating the problem of building consensus in democracies. Traditional arbiters of fact have been undermined, and people self-select information sources, creating a vicious cycle. Curbing social media entities to ensure accountability on facts is difficult due to the First Amendment, especially when sources spread disinformation. The speaker suggests winning the right to govern through elections to implement change. The speaker questions whether democracy can survive unregulated social media, stating that democracies are deeply challenged and haven't proven capable of addressing current challenges quickly or substantially enough. The speaker believes the election is about breaking the fever in the United States.

The discussion centers on the evolution of internet censorship, particularly since 2014, when the U.S. government began collaborating with tech companies and NGOs to combat perceived misinformation. The conversation highlights the intertwining of foreign policy and domestic censorship, especially after the 2016 election, which prompted a significant shift in how the government approached free speech. The role of organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy and the Atlantic Council in shaping censorship policies is emphasized, as well as the influence of figures like Hunter Biden in this landscape. The dialogue also touches on the implications of these actions for democracy and the challenges faced by those attempting to reform these systems. The speakers express concern over the potential for censorship to undermine free speech and the integrity of democratic processes.

The defining characteristic of the United States is freedom of speech, guaranteed by the First Amendment. However, this fundamental right is rapidly eroding due to censorship disguised as combating disinformation and malinformation. This censorship, directed by the US government, is not limited to the private sector. Mike Benz, an expert on this issue, explains how the foreign policy establishment and defense contractors manipulate this. Internet freedom, initially used for supporting dissident groups globally, has become a tool for censorship since 2014. NATO now views controlling media as crucial for political influence, targeting even domestic groups. This shift accelerated after the 2016 election, with Russiagate providing cover for domestic censorship. The 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic saw massive censorship, with government agencies and private entities working together to suppress dissenting voices. This system uses AI-powered tools to identify and remove content deemed harmful to "democratic institutions," effectively creating military rule disguised as democracy. The fight to preserve free speech is now centered on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), which are facing immense pressure from both governmental and international entities.

The speakers discuss the objective of mitigating harmful misinformation that aims to weaken national security and delegitimize institutions, including democratic elections. Speaker 1 expresses concern about the potential censorship of speech that criticizes institutions, such as calling for a different president or questioning the actions of the Pentagon. Speaker 0 clarifies that the focus is on matters of national security that explicitly undermine American institutions, like content intended to suppress voting or delegitimize election results without evidence. Speaker 1 argues that this narrow focus still encompasses a wide range of speech. The creation of a center of excellence and a disinformation governance board is mentioned as potential measures.

Concerns are rising about a tech industrial complex that threatens our country. Americans face overwhelming misinformation, leading to power abuse. The free press is deteriorating, and social media is neglecting fact-checking. Lies are overshadowing the truth for profit and power. It's crucial to hold social platforms accountable to safeguard our children, families, and democracy from these abuses.

The speaker claims they are attacked for not believing in democracy, but the most sacred right in the U.S. democracy is the First Amendment. They state that Kamala Harris wants to threaten the power of the government, and there is no First Amendment right to misinformation. The speaker believes big tech silences people, which is a threat to democracy. They want Democrats and Republicans to reject censorship and persuade one another by arguing about ideas. The speaker references yelling fire in a crowded theater as the Supreme Court test. They accuse others of wanting to kick people off Facebook for saying toddlers shouldn't get masks.

Speaker 0: I began my journey into chronicling the censorship industrial complex. Speaker 1: Some of the most terrifying conversations I've had with some of my dear friends who work inside CIA, and their jobs is to go to other countries, get involved in elections, protests that will help overthrow a regime. It's no secret at this point. The CIA has been doing that for years, for decades. But the most terrifying conversations I've had are the ones where they would look to me and say, my god. Like, the twenty twenty election? We're doing to our people what we do to others. Speaker 2: CIA, the other intelligence agencies were exposed with projects like Operation Mockingbird. Speaker 0: The State Department, USAID, the Central Intelligence Agency went from free speech diplomacy to promoting censorship. Speaker 2: They created, purchased, controlled assets at the New York Times, the Washington Post, all of these top down media structures that used to control the information that Americans got. Speaker 3: I pulled into the driveway, opened up my garage door, these two gentlemen come out of a blue sedan with government license plates. And they came up to me and said, you're mister Solomon? And I said, yes. And they said, you're at the tip of a very large and dangerous iceberg. Speaker 4: Oh, yeah. The the FBI sent agents over to my home to serve a subpoena. They're questioning me about my tweets. How is that not chilling? Speaker 2: Our whole page on Facebook for the world Seventh day Adventist World Church was removed. Speaker 5: The level of censorship that we experienced from publishing this documentary was beyond anything I could have imagined, and we really didn't even understand why. Speaker 3: We are going to win back the White House. The Russian collusion started broken '16. That's where the big lie first erupted. Speaker 6: Russian operatives used social media to rile up the American electorate and boost the candidacy of Donald Trump. Speaker 0: That's why they went after Trump with the Russia gate and with the FBI probes and with the CIA impeachments and things like that. Speaker 3: My FBI sources told me there's nothing there. And I kept wondering to myself, how could it be that something that's not true be taken so seriously and be portrayed as true? Speaker 7: How do you expand sort of top down control in this society? How do we flip? How do we invert America? Speaker 6: The evidence that the Supreme Court recounts is bone chilling. The federal government would call a private media company and say, cancel this speaker or take down this post. Speaker 3: I mean, just think about this. A sitting president of The United States had his Twitter and Facebook accounts frozen. Our founding fathers could not possibly have imagined that. Is there a chance that this documentary will be censored? Speaker 1: I think there's a huge chance this documentary gets censored. Speaker 2: Yeah. So it's interesting when you look at so many of the big censorship cases in The United States involving COVID, Hunter Biden's laptop. They all go back to a common thread. What is that thread? National security. Speaker 0: Google Jigsaw produced world's first AI censorship product. Things the model were trained on, support for Donald Trump, Brexit referendum that the State Department tried very desperately to stop. These are all these sort Speaker 5: of component pieces of what you called the censorship industrial complex. Speaker 3: Censorship Industrial Complex. Censorship Speaker 2: Industrial Complex. Speaker 7: Censorship Industrial Complex. Censorship Industrial Complex. Speaker 1: I've long felt that it was a bubbling god complex.

There is a lack of agreement on what constitutes disinformation, making it difficult to establish policies and guardrails. The speaker argues that the US government is the biggest propagator of disinformation, citing examples like the Steele dossier, Pentagon Papers, and weapons of mass destruction. They believe that debates and discussions should resolve disputes, rather than relying on the government as an arbiter. The speaker opposes government involvement in speech and questions the need for them to determine the truth, as they believe the government itself disseminates disinformation.

The conversation centers on the core idea that democracy hinges on freedom of speech, but with in-depth debate about what that freedom should look like in the context of large platforms. Speaker 0 references the bedrock of democracy and notes a new policy posted yesterday titled “freedom of speech, not freedom of reach,” highlighting the tension between protecting speech and avoiding amplification of harmful or extremist content. Speaker 1, Jonathan, clarifies his stance: “I don't think it's about censorship. I believe in freedom of speech. The ADL is a civil rights organization, but I don't believe in freedom of reach.” He argues that Twitter, like other publishers, should have the ability to choose whom it privileges and who it doesn’t privilege, suggesting there should be a “lunatic fringe” kept on the fringe rather than algorithmically amplified. He lists examples such as “Russian propagandists, alt right crazy people, you know, violent anti Zionists,” implying that such content should not be algorithmically promoted. Speaker 2 asks whether this should be achieved through a free marketplace of ideas managed by private companies or through legal intervention in Washington, prompting Speaker 1 to respond that social media platforms should “simply obey the same rules of business that other publishers do.” Speaker 3 reframes the issue: it is not about limiting anyone's free speech but about giving people the largest platform in history to reach a third of the planet, noting that “Freedom of speech is not freedom of reach.” He asserts that there will always be racist, misogynist, anti-Semites, and child abusers, but argues that the goal is not to give bigots and pedophiles a free platform to amplify their views and target their victims. Speaker 4 shifts to the ADL’s operational stance, noting that they opened a center in Silicon Valley in 2017 and that the person running it will be “the next Facebook executive.” They describe having software engineers and data scientists monitoring online content and working with major platforms—Google, YouTube, Meta, Twitter, Reddit, Steam, Amazon, and others from Apple to Zoom. The speaker emphasizes ongoing collaboration with Twitter “since it was founded,” describing continuity with both “the old regime” and “the new regime,” and adds a provocative aside: “Like, I'm talking to Ivon. Bad guy.” The overall thread is a sustained effort to monitor, engage with, and influence platform policies through cross-platform collaboration while advocating for restraint in amplifying harmful content.

The speaker criticizes the media and their desire for censorship. They argue that the left defines "disinformation" as any information that conflicts with their ideology. They mention Francis Fukuyama, a respected historian, who suggests rethinking the First Amendment. The speaker claims that those in power frame censorship as combating bad ideas, but it is really about maintaining control. They argue that power is the only principle that matters to those in the hierarchy.

The FBI forced social media platforms to remove information from conservative sources, claiming it was disinformation. Speaker 0 asks for a definition of disinformation, but Speaker 1 avoids directly answering. Speaker 0 points out that Elvis Chan, a key witness, testified that 50% of alleged election disinformation was taken down or censored, including content from American citizens. Speaker 1 denies this and states that the FBI does not moderate content or influence social media companies. Speaker 0 insists that Speaker 1 should read the court opinion. The transcript ends abruptly.

The video features a discussion about disinformation, specifically in relation to Joe Rogan's controversial statements about the vaccine and racial slurs. The speakers discuss Spotify's responsibility in allowing such content and the impact of disinformation that is backed by credible sources. They also touch on the role of companies and consumers in holding platforms accountable. The conversation then shifts to how to engage with family and friends who are affected by disinformation, as well as the challenges of cancel culture and content moderation. The Alethea Group, a company that tackles disinformation, is mentioned, and its work in identifying and mitigating disinformation is discussed. The video ends with questions about the government's role in combating disinformation and the potential threat of Donald Trump's influence on American democracy.

The speaker claims that big tech companies like Facebook, Google, and Twitter coordinated with the government to censor information on various topics, including the Hunter Biden laptop story, negative economic information, conservative opinions on COVID vaccines and lockdowns, and jokes about President Biden. The judge in the court case called this censorship Orwellian and the largest attack on free speech in US history. The speaker argues that the American people deserve to know the facts and that their inquiry into the matter is legitimate, despite media headlines suggesting otherwise. They also criticize the White House for urging news agencies to scrutinize their investigation and question why the president won't provide requested information if there is no impropriety. The speaker extends an open invitation for President Biden and others involved to come forward and clear their names.

Author and journalist Laura Dodsworth explains why she signed a letter advocating for free speech. She believes that labeling speech as misinformation and disinformation has led to censorship and stifled debate. Dodsworth cites examples such as the quick reporting of false information by mainstream media and the initial dismissal of the Wuhan lab leak theory. She argues that trust can be built through open discussion and that fact-checking can be biased. Another guest disagrees, stating that disinformation is a threat to democracy and social media platforms should take stronger action against it. Dodsworth counters with the importance of free speech and the need for transparency in censorship.

The speaker discusses the issue of vaccine disinformation and the need for platforms like Facebook to be more transparent about their algorithms and engagement. They emphasize the importance of holding these platforms accountable and demanding better. The conversation also touches on the spread of misinformation by Donald Trump and the similarities between misinformation about elections and blocking access to vaccines. The speaker suggests that self-policing across various groups, such as lawyers and state medical boards, is necessary. They mention the damage caused by false claims and express hope for investigations into profiteering off the pandemic.

Speaker 0 argues that 'the trustworthiness of the information that we actually receive from the news media' is a major problem and notes that 'the easiest thing for our democratic colleagues to do is to scare people.' He asks, 'COVID nineteen was politicized?' Speaker 1 answers, 'the whole process was politicized' and says 'we were lied to about everything... the vaccines would prevent transmission' and 'they prevent infection'—claims he says are contradicted by 'the animal studies and the clinical trial showed.' He accuses the CDC of letting 'the teachers union' write school-closure orders that 'hurt working people all over the country, and then pretend it was science based.' He adds examples: 'Martin Koldor from Harvard' was 'ejected [from COVID]... because he wasn't in the orthodoxy'; 'FDA during COVID' officials 'Gruber and Krausz' criticized Biden mandates; Biden said, 'I would never take that vaccine, the Trump vaccine' then mandated it and fired top FDA officials who said it had not been properly tested.' The exchange ends with 'Yes.'

The speaker discusses the spread of vaccine and election disinformation on social media platforms like Facebook. They emphasize the need for transparency in algorithms and engagement to hold platforms accountable. The discussion also touches on misinformation surrounding Donald Trump, Hunter Biden, and COVID-19. The speaker highlights the importance of self-policing by groups like lawyers and state medical boards to combat false information. Additionally, they mention the need for investigations into profiteering off the pandemic.