Former Twitter executive sought meeting between Department of Homeland Security and conservative blacklisters.

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Twitter Executive Suggested Meeting with Covertly Blacklisting Conservative Media

An ex-Twitter executive involved in suppressing the Hunter Biden laptop story has been revealed to have suggested a meeting between a Department of Homeland Security advisory committee and a group secretly blacklisting conservative media. This revelation has come to light through documents obtained by the watchdog Functional Government Initiative and shared with the Washington Examiner.

Heightened Scrutiny

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Misinformation and Disinformation Subcommittee, which was housed within the Department of Homeland Security, has faced increased scrutiny from Republicans due to allegations of “censorship” of disfavored speech. In June 2022, former subcommittee member and Twitter chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde suggested coordinating with various entities, including the State Department-backed Global Disinformation Index (GDI), according to the obtained emails.

Covert Blacklisting

In the email, Gadde listed GDI as an expert on COVID-19 issues and proposed meeting with them. GDI has been the subject of congressional investigations after it was revealed that they received significant funding from the State Department’s Global Engagement Center and the government-backed National Endowment for Democracy nonprofit group. GDI has been accused of feeding blacklists of conservative websites to advertisers in an effort to strip their revenues.

Concerns Raised

While the University of Washington, where Kate Starbird, another subcommittee member, works, denied any connection between the subcommittee and GDI, concerns have been raised about the potential bias and censorship associated with GDI. The Functional Government Initiative spokesman expressed concerns about GDI’s role in actively pushing to censor conservative voices.

Other Entities Mentioned

In the same email, Gadde also mentioned other groups that could be useful in addressing misinformation issues, including the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, the Stanford Internet Observatory, and Stanford’s Election Integrity Partnership.

Ongoing Investigation

The House Judiciary Committee’s investigation into CISA’s alleged censorship remains ongoing. Republicans have criticized the agency for exceeding its statutory authority and censoring Americans directly and through third-party intermediaries. The Biden administration’s efforts to crack down on conservative speech online have further fueled frustration among Republicans.

It is important to ensure that freedom of speech and the integrity of information are protected while addressing the challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation. The ongoing investigations and discussions surrounding these issues will continue to shape the future of online discourse.

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