Doc7505
Diamond Member
- Feb 16, 2016
- 15,718
- 27,674
- 2,430
Retreat: Microsoft "suspends" use of GDI after secret targeting of conservative sites exposed;
Update: Retreat confirmed
Retreat: Microsoft "suspends" use of GDI after secret targeting of conservative sites exposed
It’s a win. It might only prove temporary, but it’s still a win for now. Last week, the Washington Examiner’s Gabe Kaminsky exposed secret blacklists of conservative sites created by...
hotair.com
It’s a win. It might only prove temporary, but it’s still a win for now.
Last week, the Washington Examiner’s Gabe Kaminsky exposed secret blacklists of conservative sites created by the “Global Disinformation Index.” Those blacklists included Hot Air, Townhall, RedState, and Twitchy, and lots of other conservative sites under the ambiguous guise of “disinformation.” No one from GDI or its sponsors ever bothered to contact us to discuss their “assessment,” nor did their reports ever cite any specific data for any of the sites blacklisted, despite a lengthy yet completely data-free discussion of their “methodology.”
GDI’s main partner appears to be advertising units, including Xander, acquired and used by Microsoft. After Kaminsky’s report, Microsoft announced that they would suspend the use of GDI’s services and conduct an internal review of how those blacklists got used. Score another one for Kaminsky:
The Microsoft-owned Xandr, an advertising company, has abided by a blacklist of conservative websites secretly compiled by the Global Disinformation Index, an organization that intends to “defund” and shut down disfavored speech. In the wake of the Washington Examiner‘s reporting, Microsoft has launched a review of its relationship with GDI and has suspended usage of the group’s services.
“We try to take a principled approach to accuracy and fighting foreign propaganda,” a spokesperson said on Saturday evening. “We’re working quickly to fix the issue and Xandr has stopped using GDI’s services while we are doing a larger review.”
Xandr subscribed prior to GDI’s exclusion list, which is said to include at least 2,000 websites, according to public documents. Microsoft’s backpedaling comes after the Washington Examiner revealed on Friday how Xandr has blocked conservative websites from receiving key ad dollars and labeled them as “false/misleading,” “hate speech,” or “reprehensible/offensive.”
The term “disinformation” relates specifically to the use of foreign propaganda. GDI’s blacklists essentially accused the sites targeted of cooperating with regimes hostile to the United States. This is not just wrong but is a terrible injustice to those of us who fall under GDI’s bogus and corrupt targeting. And it’s made worse by the revelation that some of GDI’s funding came from the State Department:Watchdog groups have raised concerns over the State Department bankrolling a “disinformation” tracking group that is secretly blacklisting and trying to defund conservative media outlets. …
GDI has received $330,000 combined from entities under the State Department , which led to First Amendment lawyers and members of Congress raising concerns over how this could be legal.
~Snip~Today, we have launched a new promo code for this specific mission. Use CENSORSHIP to get 50% off our VIP and VIP Gold memberships. Click this link to subscribe now, and help us to keep fighting.
Update: Kaminsky has some confirmation that the retreat at Microsoft is real, if not yet spectacular:
Now the question will be whether platforms like Google, Facebook, and Twitter have adopted GDI’s blacklists. Will they speak up to confirm or deny, and if so, will they also reject GDI’s smear-and-bury tactics?
Commentary:
This is made worse by the revelation that some of GDI’s funding came from the State Department:
Tell me again we don't live in a Banana Republic?? The more we know, the worse it gets...
You can vote your way into slavery, but you can never vote your way out of it...
Nobody really believes they’ll be stopping with what they were doing against anything conservative. They won’t ever do it voluntarily. “Suspended!!” Yeah for about 90 minutes.
Maoists Commies will find other methods to attack our creator's natural freedoms.
