Meta Launches Twitter rip-off “Threads”, Immediately Starts Censoring Users

Meta Launches Twitter rip-off “Threads”, Immediately Starts Censoring Users

By Ethan Huff

Posted on July 11, 2023

It has been just a few days since the official launch of Threads, the new Twitter wannabe social media platform from Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. And already several prominent figures and personalities have been censored or banned from the platform for violating its “Community Guidelines” or otherwise spreading “misinformation.”

Shaney Yricch of “The Street Poller” was notified that a thread he posted on Threads was removed just moments after he shared it “because it goes against our Community Guidelines.”

“Following our guidelines is the only way to prevent your account from being deleted, including your posts, archive, messages and followers,” a prompt further threatened Yricch.

The post in question had to do with the recent discovery of a baggie of cocaine at the White House during a visit by Joe and Hunter Biden, as well as the rest of the Biden Crime Family.

According to Threads, posting about this incident “goes against our guidelines,” because apparently talking about the Biden Crime Family is off limits on the social media platform.

Threads warns users against following Donald Trump Jr. because his account has “repeatedly posted false information”

One does not even have to try to post anything on Threads in order to receive a nanny state prompt like this. Numerous accounts that have tried to follow Donald Trump Jr. under the handle “donaldjtrumpjr” are receiving notices asking them if they really want to follow him after all.

“This account has repeatedly posted false information that was reviewed by independent fact-checkers or went against our Community Guidelines” reads said prompt, forcing users to either confirm that they want to follow Trump Jr. or to cancel if they change their mind based on the prompt.

The “DC_Draino” account run by Rogan O’Handley tweeted about the same prompt showing up for his Threads account. Users who try to follow DC_Draino are presented with the same prompt as shown when trying to follow Donald Trump Jr.

Perhaps the worst part about the Threads platform is its privacy invasion protocols. In order to use Threads, a user must agree to have data collected on:

• Health & Fitness

• Financial Info

• Contact Info

• User Content

• Browsing History

• Usage Data

• Diagnostics

• Purchases

• Location

• Contacts

• Search History

• Identifiers

• Sensitive Info

• Other Data

This covers just about anything else a person does on his phone or device, meaning Threads collects everything private that a user does, including unrelated browser activity.

“So it censors you for posting facts that might make people in power look bad, tries to dissuade you from following one side of the political aisle, and tracks everything you do,” is how Not the Bee described this massive privacy invasion.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also complained that when she tried to use Threads, it took just five minutes for the app to become “bricked,” as she described it.

“… it was just as I hit send on a long post of Queens food recommendations,” AOC wrote about the Threads app just freezing and closing when she attempted to post something.

It might seem like something to just laugh off, but the reality is that if Threads succeeds, it will capture 80 percent of the global market share outside of Russia and China, according to journalist Michael Shellenberger.

“As such, it’s reasonable to expect that Meta will censor precisely the same way the large news media corporations, including the New York Times, and corporate advertisers want it to,” Shellenberger warns.

Ethan Huff

https://newstarget.com/2023-07-09-meta-threads-twitter-censorship-unapproved-thoughts.html

Facebook’s Twitter Alternative Is Already Censoring

Facebook’s Twitter Alternative Is Already Censoring

By Andrew Torba

Posted on July 8, 2023

This week Meta-owned Instagram launched Threads, a Twitter competitor, aiming to diversify its services. In a surprise to no one Threads immediately started censoring and putting warning labels on the accounts of conservative users. The launch of Threads raises important questions about the Meta’s control over information, evident through early censorship of conservative users, and also about the role of alternative platforms like Gab.com in countering the dominance of big tech oligarchs.

Meta’s unrivaled control over the dissemination of information is a subject of significant debate. The platform’s algorithms, which are designed to curate content based on user preferences, inadvertently create echo chambers and information silos. This is in contrast to platforms like Gab which offer a chronological feed displaying the latest posts allowing you to discover a wide variety of conversations on the platform as they occur thanks to Gab’s free speech policies.

By reinforcing users’ existing beliefs, Facebook, Instagram, and now Threads can mold the reality people experience online, dictating what they see and shielding them from dissenting views. This power is further amplified when Facebook collaborates with governments and activist groups which enables information manipulation and censorship of citizens on behalf of governments. Thankfully a judge ruled this week that this very clear violation of the First Amendment in America needs to end.

With the launch of Threads, Facebook aims to compete with Twitter and tap into new user demographics. The early signs of censorship against conservative users within the first 24 hours of Threads’ release is cause for concern. The swift suppression of conservative voices reinforces worries about Facebook’s control over what is deemed “acceptable speech.” This incident raises questions about the platform’s commitment to fostering open dialogue.

“The goal is to keep it friendly as it expands. I think it’s possible and will ultimately be the key to its success,” wrote Zuckerberg in a Wednesday post. If the goal is to keep it “friendly” that means removing anything that could be deemed “unfriendly” to various groups of people.

In practice that looks like shutting conservatives up to appease fragile liberal feelings. Zuckerberg wants to mirror Instagram's fake and illusory experience into the product of Threads, painting the picture of a world that is only “friendly” ponies and rainbows. That’s not how the real world works and there’s nothing beneficial to society about a platform that hides the truth from its users to protect their feelings and keep them in an imaginary world of illusion.

The emergence of platforms like Gab offer an alternative narrative to the status quo dominated by Facebook and other big tech giants. Gab positions itself as a platform that exists outside the control of these oligarchs, promising to provide users with a space for free speech. For those who feel marginalized or silenced within Facebook’s walled garden Gab serves as a sanctuary where they can share ideas, opinions, and perspectives that may not align with mainstream narrative.

Gab’s unique role in providing a space for people to access information and news that is often absent from mainstream platforms is of increasing importance. The social media landscape, controlled largely by a handful of influential entities, has the power to shape public opinion and control the narrative surrounding important issues. Alternative platforms like Gab challenge this dominance by allowing individuals to seek out alternative sources of news and information. This diverse range of perspectives enables users to critically analyze mainstream narratives, encouraging a healthy skepticism and a deeper understanding of complex societal matters.

One of Gab’s defining features is its commitment to upholding freedom of speech. While this commitment has sparked debates and controversies, it also plays a vital role in enabling individuals to express themselves without fear of censorship or retribution. Big tech platforms, influenced by various factors such as political pressures or corporate interests, engage in heavy-handed content moderation that limits the scope of discourse. This is by design. Those in power don’t want you thinking outside of their failed egalitarian globohomo liberal worldview. Gab, as a platform that values unrestricted speech, allows marginalized voices to be heard and provides a space for “unpopular opinions.”

Gab’s role as an alternative platform offering access to information and news not found on mainstream big tech platforms should not be underestimated. It provides an escape from the echo chamber, challenges media narratives, upholds freedom of speech, and encourages healthy debate and critical thinking.

Facebook’s new Twitter competitor, Threads, enters the social media arena amidst concerns about the company’s control over the flow of information and news online. The early censorship of conservative users within the platform’s first 24 hours highlights the potential pitfalls of entrusting a single entity with such immense power. It underscores the importance of alternative platforms like Gab, which strive to exist outside the influence of big tech oligarchs, providing users with an outlet for expression and diverse perspectives. Fostering a balanced information ecosystem that upholds free speech will be crucial for creating a healthier online space for everyone and that’s what we intend to do here at Gab.

Andrew Torba

CEO, Gab.com

Jesus is King

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