Since Republicans regained control of the House, the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government has been conducting an investigation into the federal government's involvement in suppressing free speech online. The Subcommittee's findings over the past year have shed light on the collusion between Big Government, Big Tech, and Big Academia in censoring Americans.
One significant revelation was the government's influence on Twitter's content moderation decisions after Elon Musk acquired the platform. Internal documents exposed the government's deep involvement in Twitter's censorship practices, prompting Musk to refer to Twitter as a 'crime scene.'
The Subcommittee uncovered evidence of government coercion and collusion with various entities like Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, and universities to censor specific viewpoints. For instance, the Biden White House pressured Facebook and YouTube to remove posts that contradicted its stance, leading to concerns about the infringement of free expression.
Even Facebook's President of Global Affairs raised objections to the White House's demands, highlighting the impact on free speech boundaries in the U.S. Internal emails revealed that social media giants altered their policies under government pressure to maintain favorable relationships for other policy decisions.
The government's censorship efforts extended beyond social media to include attempts to influence book sales. Internal Amazon emails indicated changes in policies due to White House pressure, resulting in the censorship of books questioning vaccines.
Furthermore, emails exposed Big Academia's involvement in censorship activities, with Stanford University establishing the Election Integrity Partnership at the Department of Homeland Security's request to submit posts for censorship before the 2020 election.
The Subcommittee's latest report unveiled government funding for AI-powered tools to enhance censorship capabilities. The National Science Foundation granted funds for developing tools to combat misinformation, raising concerns about the scale and impact of censorship.
Despite progress in combating government-induced censorship, the Subcommittee emphasized the need for continued efforts and legislative reforms to protect Americans' First Amendment rights. Proposed acts like the Free Speech Protection Act and the Censorship Accountability Act aim to hold federal employees accountable for violating free speech rights.
The Subcommittee's dedication to defending free speech was evident in its involvement in a landmark Supreme Court case and ongoing advocacy for legislative remedies to safeguard fundamental rights.
