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Internet shocked as FBI asked Twitter to ban users including actor Billy Baldwin over 'false information'

In the new Twitter thread, Matt Taibbi suggests, 'Twitter’s contact with the FBI was constant and pervasive, as if it were a subsidiary'

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: A new 'Twitter Files' thread shared by journalist Matt Taibbi claims that the FBI had asked Twitter to ban actor Billy Baldwin, a Donald Trump critic. In the new Twitter thread, Taibbi suggests, "Twitter’s contact with the FBI was constant and pervasive, as if it were a subsidiary."

According to Daily Mail, The National Election Command Post sent a letter to Twitter comprising a list of people to be banned, claiming that they have been sending misinformation to the public. Matt's tweet suggests, "In an internal email from November 5, 2022, the FBI’s National Election Command Post, which compiles and sends on complaints, sent the SF field office a long list of accounts that “may warrant additional action." This list included the actor's name. However, Baldwin's account was not suspended. However other accounts suggested by NECP, including RSB Network were suspended.

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In a lengthy Twitter thread that has 45 tweets, Taibbi wrote, "Between January 2020 and November 2022, there were over 150 emails between the FBI and former Twitter Trust and Safety chief Yoel Roth." The journalist added, "Some are mundane, like San Francisco agent Elvis Chan wishing Roth a Happy New Year along with a reminder to attend “our quarterly call next week.” Others are requests for information into Twitter users related to active investigations." He then added, "But a surprisingly high number are requests by the FBI for Twitter to take action on election misinformation, even involving joke tweets from low-follower accounts." 

Taibbi wrote on Twitter, "The FBI’s social media-focused task force, known as FTIF, created in the wake of the 2016 election, swelled to 80 agents and corresponded with Twitter to identify alleged foreign influence and election tampering of all kinds. Federal intelligence and law enforcement reach into Twitter included the Department of Homeland Security, which partnered with security contractors and think tanks to pressure Twitter to moderate content." Later, the journalist added, "It’s no secret the government analyzes bulk data for all sorts of purposes, everything from tracking terror suspects to making economic forecasts."

Further the thread claimed, "An unanswered question: do agencies like FBI and DHS do in-house flagging work themselves, or farm it out? “You have to prove to me that inside the fucking government you can do any kind of massive data or AI search,” says one former intelligence officer." He also stated, "HELLO TWITTER CONTACTS”: The master-canine quality of the FBI’s relationship to Twitter comes through in this November 2022 email, in which “FBI San Francisco is notifying you” it wants action on four accounts." The next tweet claimed, "Agent Chan passed the list on to his "Twitter folks." He wrote, "20. Twitter then replied with its list of actions taken. Note mercy shown to actor Billy Baldwin." The journalist further wrote, "Many of the above accounts were satirical in nature, nearly all (with the exceptions of Baldwin and @RSBNetwork) were relatively low engagement, and some were suspended, most with a generic, “Thanks, Twitter” letter:

'Dismantle THE FBI'

The Internet quickly reacted to the recent update. A user said, " That's Scary AF." Another added, "We all suspected it but reality is showing us that 6th sense serving us doesn't fail." "Wow….just wow!," said another. A user added, "Billy Baldwin made the list." A comment read, "Dismantle the FBI START OVER." Brigitte Gabriel wrote, "The FBI should stop worrying about what people are tweeting and focus on the tips about potential school shooters that they so often miss." Another wrote, "So the FBI wanted to keep track of people threatening to overthrow the government? And? That’s their job." A user claimed, "So the FBI no longer works for the good of the country but have been completely corrupted… which we assumed. But now? Now there is proof. #twitterfiles #twitterfiles6."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.