via theepochtimes:
“DemCast is a non-profit organization utilizing social media to push left-wing narratives online through tens of thousands of accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
“Garnering an estimation of over 50 billion impressions since just 2019 — DemCast aims at manipulating public opinion surrounding the topics of COVID, war with Russia, January 6, and even swaying local elections throughout all of the 50 states. …
“[A]n unlisted YouTube video posted to DemCast’s YouTube channel … details a major function of DemCast’s strategy — using thousands of private chatrooms to artificially amplify messaging on the platform, garnering millions of impressions, artificially amplifying content to sway public opinion.”
To do this, they utilize something called the Speechifai platform wherein (obviously left-wing) organizations are provided with “an accompanying hashtag, ensuring that when thousands of individuals post to social media, they appear as though they are authentic to the normal user — rather than auto-generated” (from a specifically left-wing bot).
I repeat: over 50 billion impressions so far, undoubtedly growing exponentially even as we read this. Not even Orwell dreamed of this for his Ministry of Truth. Who needs the imprimatur of the New York Times—controversial to some of us diehards—when you have millions of people unwittingly repeating the received mantras without a hint of bias acknowledged? It’s from folks just like you, folks. No pundits, no media, nada, not even celebrities.
I can already see the gleam in Klaus Schwab’s eyes as some putatively harmless and logical version of “You will own nothing and you will be happy” makes its way through the chat rooms and then invades half the computers of the world to be tweeted and retweeted until our heads explode.
UMASS LOWELL BANS STUDENTS FROM VIEWING ‘OFFENSIVE’ MATERIAL:
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) highlighted UMass Lowell’s “acceptable use” policy for its monthly series spotlighting egregious free speech violations on campuses. This policy applies to all school-provided computers, but also any networks and/or services connected to the university, such as email or campus wifi. It provides the use of any such technologies to transmit or access “offensive material.”
This is deeply problematic and constitutionally suspect. After all, what, exactly, constitutes “offensive?”
For example, is a student who receives right-wing news sources in their email inbox violating it? It’s safe to say that many of the views commonly expressed in conservative media are considered “hate speech” by many woke campus administrators—but they’re also protected expression under the First Amendment.
“The Supreme Court has explicitly held, time and time again, that speech cannot be restricted by the government merely because it offends others,” FIRE points out. “In spite of such clear precedent, colleges and universities routinely ban offensive speech in campus speech codes, especially in IT policies. Whether a person is burning a flag at a protest or advocating for (or against) flag burning on Twitter, a ban on ‘offensive’ speech calls for impermissible viewpoint discrimination.”
Like Randi Weingarten, I blame Ron DeSantis.
Imagine some hippy in 1968 speaking out against the escalating U.S. war in Vietnam on his Facebook, only to have “Missing Context” pop up to warn his followers:
‘End the War! Bring our troops home! Screw Johnson!’
Facebook Warning: *Independent fact-checkers* have found that this and similar posts are missing context. The Pentagon and statements by White House officials have suggested that U.S. efforts in this conflict have been productive.
* * * * * * * *
[I]magine a conservative sharing on Facebook in 2009:
‘I don’t trust this president, I want to keep my doctor and this government is only to make health prices go up!’
Facebook Warning: *Independent fact-checkers* have found that this and similar posts are missing context. Obama Administration officials have assured Americans that they will be able to keep their health plans and their doctors.
Heh, indeed. Read the whole thing.
Randi Weingarten admits to sharing fake list of ‘banned’ books: ‘My bad.’
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) president Randi Weingarten admitted to sharing a false tweet claiming that certain books were banned in Florida on Sunday.
“I should have double checked before I retweeted this list. My bad. Looks like some of the books weren’t banned. Book bans are very real & dangerous,” she said on Sunday. Weingarten included a screenshot of her original tweet, which said, “Books we have taught for generations!!!!!”
The list, posted by an account called “Freesus Patriot,” claimed that Florida has banned books such as, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and “A Wrinkle in Time.” The account also tweeted that they would not reveal the source of the list.
“I’m not going to say where this list came from due to protecting sources but if this list is wrong then I invite @RonDeSantisFL to publicly state the books on this list will not be banned in Florida schools & he intends to protect student’s rights. I will take it down if he does,” the account tweeted.
Social media users responded to Weingarten’s walk-back and original tweet, which has since been deleted.
Key West High School 2022-2023 summer reading list includes 1984 (a book Weingarten suggested Florida banned) and even a memoir by black lives matter leaders. pic.twitter.com/RmeZYZtDRX
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) August 22, 2022
h/t Ed Driscoll