Newly appointed Twitter CEO and WEF member Linda Yaccarino has announced that “free speech is no longer acceptable on X.” Yaccarino, a World Economic Forum (WEF) member and former NBC executive, announced this week that she will begin ramping up the “shadowbanning” of accounts deemed to be pushing “misinformation” and “hate speech” on Musk’s platform.
According to Yaccarino, Americans will not be permitted to exercise their First Amendment rights to legally express themselves as long as Musk keeps her on as CEO.
In a new interview with CNBC, Yaccarino revealed that free speech will be strictly policed and filtered by the new algorithm even if it doesn’t break any laws.
During the interview, Yaccarino also boasted that Musk no longer has any say in the editorial decisions of the social media giant.
However, it is her stance on the platform’s censorship policies that has caused concern among free speech advocates.
She declared that “X is committed to encouraging healthy behavior online.”
In clarifying X’s approach to free speech, Yaccarino introduced the concept of “freedom of speech, not freedom of reach.”
The comments were a reference to a new policy where users who express non-mainstream views will see their posts heavily demoted on the platform.
“If it is lawful but it’s awful, it’s extraordinarily difficult for you to see it,” she remarked, suggesting that content deemed undesirable will be shadowbanned by Twitter.
Watch:
X CEO Linda Yaccarino: “Lawful But Awful” Content To Be Hidden… pic.twitter.com/32C9HpACpS
— Reclaim The Net (@ReclaimTheNetHQ) August 10, 2023
X CEO Linda Yaccarino: “Lawful But Awful” Content To Be Hidden…
Who decides what “awful” means?
pic.twitter.com/Sd4sdhiuIg— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) August 10, 2023
Slaynews.com reports: Some free speech advocates are raising concerns that this strategy of content labeling and demotion signals the return to censorship on Twitter.
They argue that the distinction between “awful” and “lawful” is often a subjective one and fear the potential for misuse.
Like “hate speech” or “misinformation,” the term “awful” is also incredibly, and most likely internationally, vague.
Are Dr. Anthony Fauci’s false claims about the origins of Covid considered “awful?”
How about Hillary Clinton’s fabricated allegations that President Donald Trump was working with Russia?
Or the absurd statements about “global boiling” from the United Nations Director-General Antonio Guterres.
As we’ve seen repeatedly, “awful” will most likely refer to conservative talking points while giving a blanket free pass to leftist extremism.
The decisions and comments made by Yaccarino may seem to some like a strict stance against divisive or hurtful rhetoric.
However, the announcement is seen by many as an alarming shift away from the ethos of open dialogue and free speech.
