Twitter Archives - Page 4 of 5

Twitter Bans Nearly 400 Accounts for Allegedly ‘Undermining NATO’

March 1, 2021February 28, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

On Tuesday, Big Tech giant Twitter announced that it had banned approximately 373 accounts for allegedly posting content that “undermined faith in the NATO alliance and its stability,” as reported by Breitbart.

Twitter claimed that the accounts in question were part of “state-linked information operations” that were supposedly linked to the governments of Russia, Iran, and Armenia. Of the 373, 130 were targeted “based on intel provided by the FBI” that claimed the accounts had attempted to “disrupt the public conversation during the first 2020 U.S. presidential debate.”

Impeachment Blunder: Author of Tweet Introduced at Trial Says It Was Falsified, Misinterpreted

February 11, 2021February 11, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The author of a tweet introduced by Democrats at the Senate impeachment trial said Thursday her statement “we are bringing the Calvary” was a clear reference to a prayer vigil organized by churchgoers supporting Trump and not a call for military-like violence at the Capitol riot as portrayed by Rep. Eric Swalwell.

Jennifer Lynn Lawrence also said she believes the California Democrat and House impeachment manager falsified her tweet, adding a blue check mark to the version he introduced at the trial suggesting she was a verified Twitter user with more clout when in fact her Twitter account never had a blue check and has never been verified.

“I noticed when they put my tweet on the screen that all of a sudden my tweet had a blue checkmark next to it,” she said during an interview on the John Solomon Reports podcast. “… This way, if he entered that into congressional testimony, it’s a verified account, and it has, it could be applicable in law. Secondly, he wanted to show that my Twitter account had more gravitas than it actually did. He wanted to show that the president was trying to use me to bring in the cavalry.”

Gubernatorial Candidate Cox Rolls Out Big Tech Accountability Plan

February 11, 2021February 10, 2021 Eric Burk

Gubernatorial candidate Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) announced a plan Wednesday to hold Big Tech accountable for protecting free speech. The plan expands regulation and enforcement with transparency requirements, bans on de-platforming elected officials, and $100,000-per-day fines for violating tech companies.

Twitter Bans My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell

January 27, 2021January 26, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter has permanently banned the account of My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, a supporter of former President Trump who also is among those publicly claiming widespread voter fraud in the 2020 elections.

“This account was suspended for repeated violations of our civic integrity policy,” Twitter said late Monday.

Commentary: The Complete Guide to President Trump’s Twitter Insults

January 25, 2021January 24, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The New York Times recently posted what it claims is a complete list of President Trump’s Twitter insults. Conservatives should archive this article from the New York Times before the typists the Democrat National Committee assigned the Grey Lady recognize the irony inherent in the article and take it down.

Some items on the list hardly qualify as “insults,” unless stating in truth is an insult.

Commentary: The Social Media Purge Exposes Net Neutrality’s True Goal

January 19, 2021January 18, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

For nearly two decades, Silicon Valley made net neutrality its highest policy priority. Under the banner of a “free and open” internet, Google, Facebook, and Twitter sought regulations to ensure the uninterrupted flow of information by treating every bit equally. Or so they said.

Beginning last Friday night, these firms and others executed an unprecedented digital purge of the social media and video accounts of their political rivals. After several years of accelerating suspensions and suppressions, this time YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter permanently banned a number of high-profile conservatives and deplatformed thousands of others, at least temporarily. Many of these accounts had nothing to do with last Wednesday’s heinous events at the Capitol. Yet their histories are erased.

Hungary Weighs Big Tech Sanctions over ‘Systemic Abuses’ of Free Speech

January 19, 2021January 18, 2021 Admin

Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga said Monday that Hungary is considering sanctions against big tech firms over alleged “systemic abuses” of free speech, Reuters reported.

Varga plans to meet with the Hungarian Competition Authority this week to discuss possible penalties for what he says are unfair commercial practices utilized by social media firms including Facebook and Twitter, according to Reuters. In addition, the minister plans to convene a meeting with the state-sponsored Digital Freedom Committee.

Commentary: How to Fight Back and Win Against Big Tech

January 17, 2021January 16, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

If we’re going to be objective about it, we’ve got to give the Mark Zuckerbergs, Jeff Bezoses and Jack Dorseys of the world their due — the apps they’ve created are some of the greatest technological marvels in history.

Twitter Says It Purged Over 70,000 Accounts Sharing ‘Harmful QAnon-Associated Content’

January 13, 2021January 12, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter has reportedly purged over 70,000 accounts from its platform for sharing “harmful QAnon-associated content.”

The social media website began cracking down on Twitter activity after rioters supporting President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol on Wednesday, committing acts of vandalism and postponing the certification process as members of Congress were forced to evacuate the building.

Analysis: The Great Social Silencing

January 13, 2021January 12, 2021 RealClearWire

Last week Silicon Valley silenced the president. In unison, the social media giants, with an assist from Amazon and Apple, also eliminated their most popular conservative competitor and announced that their own moderation policies would now extend to other companies. Meanwhile, CNN openly called for Fox News to be banned from cable, while a major talk radio network issued new speech rules to its hosts, extending tech’s moderation policies to the offline world. Beyond all this, Congress and the European Union called for powerful new regulation of online speech.

ACLU Warns of ‘Unchecked Power’ After Facebook, Twitter Suspend Trump

January 12, 2021January 11, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

A legislative counsel member from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Friday warned that the suspension of President Donald Trump’s social media accounts wielded “unchecked power” by large tech companies, Breitbart reported.

Kate Ruane, a senior legislative counsel at the ACLU warned in a statement that the decision to suspend Trump from social media platforms could set a precedent for big tech companies to silence less privileged voices.

#Twexit Movement Picks Up Steam After Trump Banned from Twitter

January 10, 2021January 9, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Many Twitter users are vowing to leave the platform after President Donald J. Trump was permanently banned from using the service Friday evening.

“Twitter bans Trump, but won’t check communist Chinese propaganda defending brainwashing & forced sterilizations of minorities,” the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans said, adding the hashtag #twexit.

Twitter Bans President Trump Permanently

January 8, 2021January 8, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Social media giant Twitter on Friday night permanently banned President Donald Trump from its servers for what it said were violations of the Twitter rules.

Six Takeaways as Facebook, Twitter CEOs Testify at Senate Hearing

November 19, 2020November 18, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The CEOs of Twitter and Facebook returned Tuesday to Capitol Hill, this time to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
While focused on Twitter’s blocking of a New York Post story about the Biden family’s business dealings overseas and the social media giants’ immunity from lawsuit under the Communications Decency Act, the hearing veered into other topics as well.

Texas Attorney’s Video of Suspicious Vote-Counting Activity in Detroit Censored by Big Tech, Conservatives Allege

November 7, 2020November 6, 2020 The Center Square

Texas attorney Kellye SoRelle and members of Lawyers for Trump sent a copy of a video to Texas Scorecard of individuals moving what she claims are ballots in the middle of the night on Nov. 4 in Detroit.

In the video, a white van is seen parked in front of polling location at 2:40 a.m. A box is taken out of the van and placed into a red wagon, which is then pulled inside the facility. SoRelle video recorded and photographed the activity, which Texas Scorecard published on its website.

Commentary: Silicon Valley Titans Lie Again as Congress Meekly Looks On

November 2, 2020November 1, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

After a series of mishaps involving muted senators, virtual cross-talk, and “connectivity issues” befuddling one of the world’s most tech-savvy men, the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter, and Google appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday for what has now become a performative ritual: senators of both parties yell about different aspects of social media, the tech giants respond with bland, vague, noncommittal statements. And nothing substantive happens.

This is exactly where the Senate Commerce Committee found itself on Wednesday, when Big Tech was confronted with a host of critics and without any defenders—but ultimately very little in the way of committed follow-up from legislators.

Commentary: A DOJ Roadblock to America’s Big Tech Beatdown?

November 2, 2020November 1, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

It’s safe to say that Big Tech hasn’t had a great month.

Google received a beating at the Supreme Court for allegedly stealing the coding needed to create Android. Congress subpoenaed Facebook and Twitter for deliberately blocking news coverage potentially damaging to one political party — a move that culminated in a high-profile hearing yesterday. And now, the Department of Justice has charged Google with illegally maintaining its search and advertising monopoly.

Commentary: How to Restrain Big Tech Immediately

October 29, 2020October 28, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

A year ago, University of Georgia professor Cas Mudde took to Twitter and asked: “How do you manage to stay informed about political news and stay mentally balanced?” In his next tweet, he confessed too much time on social media was contributing to anxiety and depression.

With this, Mudde expressed a sentiment many social media users share. As we discuss policy issues tied to social media—tech regulation, free speech, foreign influence—we shouldn’t lose sight of the damaging psychological effects of today’s information environment. You may not want to hear this a week before the election, but social media addiction is a public health issue. Big Tech is the new Big Tobacco.

Social Media CEOs Get Earful on Bias, Warning of New Limits

October 29, 2020October 28, 2020 The Associated Press

With next week’s election looming, the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google were scolded by Republicans at a Senate hearing Wednesday for alleged anti-conservative bias in the companies’ social media platforms and received a warning of coming restrictions from Congress.

Lawmakers of both parties are assessing the companies’ tremendous power to disseminate speech and ideas, and are looking to challenge their long-enjoyed bedrock legal protections for online speech.

College President Publicly Condemns Prof’s ‘Hateful,’ ‘Vile’ Tweets Exposed by Campus Reform

October 26, 2020October 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

After Collin College received backlash from a story by Campus Reform regarding a professor calling Vice President Mike Pence “a demon” and to “shut his little demon mouth up,” the college president publicly came out and condemned the comments.

President Neil Matkin wrote in a public statement on the school’s website that the professor’s comments were “hateful, vile, and ill-considered.”

Democrats And Journalists Circulate Fake Email Saying Iowa Farm Bureau Retracted Endorsement for Joni Ernst

October 19, 2020October 18, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

A group of Democratic political operatives and journalists circulated a fake email on Twitter on Sunday that the Iowa Farm Bureau retracted its endorsement of Sen. Joni Ernst, a move which would have been a heavy blow to the Republican’s re-election bid.

The fabricated email asserted that the farm bureau was retracting its support for Ernst because of her debate performance earlier this week against challenger Theresa Greenfield.

Twitter Removes Anti-Mask Tweet From Trump Coronavirus Adviser

October 19, 2020October 18, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter removed a tweet from a top White House coronavirus adviser, saying that, contrary to official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, masks don’t prevent the spread of the virus.

On Saturday, Dr. Scott Atlas tweeted that evidence showed masks don’t work, according to NBC News. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released guidance in April urging Americans to wear masks in public to prevent the spread of coronavirus after weeks of recommending the opposite.

Holocaust Denial Posts Banned on Another Social Media Platform

October 19, 2020October 18, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter will begin removing posts containing Holocaust denial, a Twitter spokeswoman told Bloomberg News just days after Facebook also implemented a policy banning posts that deny the Holocaust.

“We strongly condemn anti-semitism, and hateful conduct has absolutely no place on our service,” the spokeswoman told Bloomberg News in a statement. “We also have a robust ‘glorification of violence’ policy in place and take action against content that glorifies or praises historical acts of violence and genocide, including the Holocaust.”

RNC Files FEC Complaint Against Twitter

October 18, 2020October 17, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The Republican National Committee has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Twitter after the platform censored a New York Post expose on Hunter Biden published earlier this week. In a letter to the FECs general counsel on Friday, the RNC accused Twitter of violating federal campaign finance laws: “Through its ad hoc, partisan suppression of media critical of Biden, [Twitter] is making illegal, corporate in-kind contributions as it provides unheard-of media services for Joe Biden’s campaign.”

Commentary: Is Twitter, Facebook Censorship of New York Post Biden-Ukraine Story the Beginning of Social Tyranny?

October 17, 2020October 16, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter and Facebook have both limited distribution of an Oct. 14 report from the New York Post’s Emma-Jo Morris and Gabrielle Fonrouge entitled, “Smoking-gun email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian businessman to VP dad” detailing an alleged meeting between former Vice President Joe Biden and Burisma executive Vadym who Biden’s son, Hunter, used to work for, in April 2015.

FCC to ‘Clarify’ Meaning of Section 230 Following Twitter Suppression of NY Post Story

October 17, 2020October 16, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Federal Communication Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced Thursday that he intends to move forward with a rulemaking to “clarify” the meaning of Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act.

Pai’s announcement comes one day after Twitter prohibited users from posting links to a New York Post story about alleged emails involving Hunter Biden, former Vice President Joe Biden and the Ukrainian gas company Burisma. Twitter’s suppression of the story led President Donald Trump to call for the repeal of Section 230, which indemnifies internet companies from liability over content posted by their users.

Judson Phillips Commentary: Big Tech Stomps on Free Speech

October 16, 2020October 15, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

On Wednesday morning, the Star published my commentary on free speech. Little did I know when I wrote it or the editors when they published it, the whole concept of free speech online was about to blow up in an incredibly spectacular way.

C-SPAN Suspends Scully After He Admits to Lie About Hack

October 16, 2020October 15, 2020 The Associated Press

C-SPAN suspended its political editor Steve Scully indefinitely Thursday after he admitted to lying about his Twitter feed being hacked when he was confronted about a questionable exchange with former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci.

The news came on the day of what was supposed to be a career highlight for the 30-year C-SPAN veteran. Scully was to moderate the second debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, which was canceled after Trump would not agree to a virtual format because of his COVID-19 diagnosis.

Twitter Suspends DNC’s Account for Retweeting Trump Clip Suggesting Kids Are ‘Almost Immune’ to COVID

August 8, 2020August 13, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter partially suspended the Democratic National Committee’s account Thursday for sharing a tweet from President Donald Trump that contains a video of the president suggesting children are “almost immune” to coronavirus.

The company made the move after the DNC tweeted a clip of Trump’s Wednesday appearance on Fox News in which the president made the claim relating to children and the pandemic, CNN reported. The account intended to retweet the post with the intention of criticizing the president for spreading misinformation, but Twitter’s moderators flagged the post instead.

Twitter, Facebook Hit Trump Over Post Suggesting Children Are ‘Almost Immune’ from Coronavirus

August 7, 2020August 13, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter partially suspended President Donald Trump’s campaign Twitter account on Wednesday for posting a tweet containing a video of Trump suggesting children are “almost immune” to coronavirus.

The post contains an interview Trump gave to Fox News Wednesday morning in which the president made the claim relating to children and the ongoing pandemic, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. Facebook removed a post Wednesday that contained the same video, marking the first time the social media platform has nixed a Trump post over coronavirus misinformation.

Biden, Gates, Other Twitter Accounts Hacked in Bitcoin Scam

July 16, 2020July 15, 2020 The Associated Press

Unidentified hackers broke into the Twitter accounts of technology moguls, politicians, celebrities and major companies Wednesday in an apparent Bitcoin scam.

The ruse included bogus tweets from former President Barack Obama, Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden, Mike Bloomberg and a number of tech billionaires including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Celebrities Kanye West and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, were also hacked. The fake tweets tweets offered to send $2,000 for every $1,000 sent to an anonymous Bitcoin address.

Twitter Puts Up Black Lives Matter Billboards in Minneapolis, Other Major Cities

June 30, 2020June 29, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Twitter has put up billboards in cities across the country featuring tweets from Black Lives Matter activists, including one billboard in downtown Minneapolis.

“Protesters aren’t trying to start a race war – we’re trying to end one,” states the Minneapolis billboard.

Twitter Disables Trump Campaign’s George Floyd Video Tribute

June 6, 2020June 5, 2020 The Associated Press

Twitter has blocked a Trump campaign video tribute to George Floyd over a copyright claim, in a move that adds to tensions between the social media platform and the U.S. president, one of its most widely followed users.

The company put a label on a video posted by the @TeamTrump account that said, “This media has been disabled in response to a claim by the copyright owner.” The video was still up on President Donald Trump’s YouTube channel and includes pictures of Floyd, whose death sparked widespread protests, at the start.

Commentary: Trump Executive Order Strikes at the Heart of Social Media’s Leftist Censorship

May 30, 2020May 29, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President Trump’s long-hoped-for Executive Order on social media censorship is a good first step in dismantling the Left’s dangerous influence over these 21st-century communications vehicles. (You can read the draft that was available online when this article was posted through this link to The National Pulse, edited by Raheem Kassam.)

We particularly agree with this part of the EO’s statement of principles, “In a country that has long cherished the freedom of expression, we cannot allow a limited number of online platforms to hand-pick the speech that Americans may access and convey online. This practice is fundamentally un-American and anti-democratic. When large, powerful social media companies censor opinions with which they disagree, they exercise a dangerous power.”

Twitter Censors White House Account for Quoting Trump’s Flagged ‘THUGS’ Tweet

May 30, 2020May 29, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter censored the White House’s official Twitter account after it shared and quoted a President Donald Trump tweet Friday that the company’s moderators hit for “glorifying violence.”

The account shared a tweet Trump composed early Friday morning in which he called people rioting and looting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, “THUGS” and suggested that he will send in the military, adding that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Twitter hid Trump’s tweet under a banner noting that the post violates company rules against glorifying violence.

Executive Order Takes Aim at Leftist Tech Giants’ Censorship of Conservatives

May 29, 2020May 29, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

After years of warning, President Donald Trump took action Thursday in the form of an Executive Order to remove a key protection companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Google enjoy that shields the tech giants from lawsuits by individuals and other entities with claims of bias, censorship, and otherwise unfair treatment.

The Order, titled “Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship” comes two days after Twitter added a controversial “fact-check” of two of his tweets about fraud and absentee ballots, NPR reported.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Addresses Trump Fact-Check, Asks Media to ‘Leave Our Employees Out Of This’

May 29, 2020May 28, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey took sole responsibility Wednesday night after his company applied a fact-check on a tweet from President Donald Trump suggesting California’s mail-in ballot move is “fraudulent.”

Trump’s tweet Tuesday suggesting mail-in ballot votes are fraudulent could mislead people into believing they don’t have to register to get a ballot, Dorsey wrote on Twitter. He also asked people to lay off his employees.

‘Wretched Orange Man’: Twitter Official Overseeing Misinformation Efforts Is Anti-Trump Partisan Who Donated to Planned Parenthood

May 29, 2020May 28, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The Twitter official overseeing the tech company’s efforts to combat misinformation is a left-wing partisan who in the past has derided President Donald Trump as a “wretched orange man” and said he donated to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Yoel Roth, Twitter’s head of site security, is the man in charge of the platform’s fight against election-related misinformation. Some of Roth’s past political comments from 2016 and 2017 began making the rounds in conservative circles Tuesday after Twitter fact-checked a Trump tweet predicting that universal mail-in voting would result in widespread fraud.

Twitter Dings Trump’s Tweets But Refuses to Fact Check Chinese Officials’ Virus Misinformation

May 28, 2020May 27, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Twitter has declined to take action against Chinese officials who spread coronavirus misinformation even after the company fact-checked President Donald Trump for suggesting California’s mail-in ballots are fraudulent.

A tweet from Chinese politician Lijian Zhao in March suggesting that the U.S. inserted coronavirus into China has not been removed or fact-checked. Twitter has previously said that Zhao’s tweets do not violate the company’s rules, but Twitter updated its policies on May 11, effectively making tweets from world leaders subject to misinformation labels.

President Trump Reportedly Considering Forming Panel to Review Anti-Conservative Bias in Big Tech

May 25, 2020May 24, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President Donald Trump is considering forming a commission to review anti-conservative bias on social media platforms, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the idea.

A potential White House-created commission would examine allegations of online bias and censorship, according to the report. The administration will also encourage the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Election Commission to conduct similar reviews, the sources told the WSJ.

Commentary: The Left Goes Full Open Borders

October 28, 2018October 28, 2018 Admin

by Jarrett Stepman It wasn’t long ago that both sides of the aisle believed America’s border laws should be enforced. As President Donald Trump pointed out on Twitter, even former President Barack Obama, at least rhetorically, said that illegal immigrants couldn’t be let into the country en masse and…

Fox News Guest Who Called Out Abortion Advocates For ‘Irresponsible Sex’ Now Faces Death And Rape Threats

September 13, 2018September 12, 2018 Admin

by Grace Carr Fox News guest and PJ Media contributor Denise McAllister stated that abortion advocates regard the procedure as an easy solution for irresponsible sex and has since been met with death and rape threats, she told The Daily Caller News Foundation. After McAllister sent out a Sept. 6 tweet…

Politico: House Committee Considers Subpoena For Twitter CEO For Shadow Banning Conservatives

August 20, 2018August 19, 2018 Admin

by Kyle Perisic A House committee is reportedly considering issuing Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey a subpoena for the social media’s allegations of shadow banning conservatives. An unnamed staffer on the House Energy and Commerce Committee told Politico that it is considering issuing Dorsey a subpoena to testify before the…

Twitter Suspends Libertarian Commentator Gavin McInnes And His Activist Group, ‘Proud Boys’

August 13, 2018August 12, 2018 Admin

by Rob Shimshock Twitter suspended libertarian commentator Gavin McInnes and his fraternal organization, the Proud Boys, Friday evening. The social media giant claimed that McInnes, who hosts “Get Off My Lawn” and “CRTV Tonight” on CRTV, as well as the activist group he founded, violated its “violent extremist groups” policy, reported…

Commentary: Exposing Antifa, the Shock Troops of the Democrats’ Civil War

August 10, 2018August 10, 2018 Admin

by George Rasley Police in the Far-Left enclaves of Berkeley, California and Portland, Oregon had to deal with riots created by violent Far Left so-called Anti-Fascist (Antifa) thugs over the weekend. Now, according to our friends at chicksonright.com the Berkeley police department posted the arresting information via Twitter, with Department’s tweets…

Republican Rep. Gaetz Threatens Twitter with FEC Complaint Over Twitter Suppression, Claims Twitter May Be Giving Opponent Illegal Advantage

July 29, 2018July 28, 2018 Admin

by Peter Hasson and Joe Simonson – Twitter’s recent algorithm change suppressed, or “shadow-banned,” prominent conservatives, including Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a new report found. – Gaetz is considering filing a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against Twitter, he told The Daily Caller News Foundation. – Gaetz said…