When it comes to censorship, Big Tech can do no wrong, right? That’s what Twitter and its former safety chief would have us believe. But recently, it was revealed that Twitter made a “mistake” by censoring the New York Post’s reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop before the 2020 election.
Yoel Roth, former head of Twitter’s Trust and Safety division, testified to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Wednesday that when the Post’s story on Biden’s laptop first surfaced, the company made a “mistake” by blocking links to the story from being shared across its service.
This is a startling admission for a company that prides itself on providing a platform for free speech. How could a company dedicated to the cause of free speech make a mistake of this magnitude? Especially considering that the laptop was later corroborated by other news outlets.
The House Oversight Committee is currently investigating Twitter’s handling of the story and has heard testimony from several senior Twitter employees, including Roth, attorney Vijaya Gadde, and former deputy general counsel Jim Baker.
During questioning, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was firm in his approach to the Twitter representatives. He stated that the FBI had the “Biden Crime Family” laptop for a year, and knew it was leaking information that would hurt the Biden campaign.
Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has admitted that blocking the Hunter Biden story was a “total mistake.” But is that enough? Shouldn’t those responsible for this “mistake” face some sort of punishment?
It’s clear that Big Tech has a disdain for free speech and will do whatever it takes to make sure only their voice is heard. This “mistake” proves that Big Tech will not hesitate to censor the news when it doesn’t fit their political agenda.
BREAKING: @RepClayHiggins warns former Twitter executives this is just the investigation part “later comes the arrest part, your attorneys are familiar with that.. I’d like to spend five hours with these ladies and gentlemen doing depositions surely yet to come”
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/FREASWOpgt
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 8, 2023
When it comes to censorship, Big Tech cannot be trusted. It’s time for them to be held accountable for their actions and for those responsible to face the consequences of their “mistake”. We must ensure that free speech is not just a right, but also a reality.
Erica Carlin is an independent journalist, opinion writer and contributor to several news and opinion sources. She is based in Georgia.
