Twitter is now advocating for free expression and sharing of information … in Uganda.
Amid reports that the East African nation’s government has shut down access to social media ahead of scheduled elections Thursday, Twitter’s public policy account issued a stern warning Tuesday.
Ahead of the Ugandan election, we’re hearing reports that Internet service providers are being ordered to block social media and messaging apps.
We strongly condemn internet shutdowns – they are hugely harmful, violate basic human rights and the principles of the #OpenInternet.
— Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) January 12, 2021
“literally the least self-aware remark made by anybody in the history of ever.”, one user wrote in response to Twitter’s post.
“Access to information and freedom of expression, including the public conversation on Twitter, is never more important than during democratic processes, particularly elections,” Twitter declared.
Many found Twitter’s advocacy jarring after the social media giant selectively suppressed tweets that were deemed to contain “misinformation” about the coronavirus, blocked the New York Post’s main account after the newspaper published its bombshell report on Hunter Biden during the election campaign, and banned President Trump from its platform.
“The gall, my Lord,” New York Post op-ed editor Sohrab Ahmari reacted. “Pre-election freedom of information for Ugandans. But not for readers of America’s oldest daily newspaper, The New York Post.”
“You banned the sharing of accurate journalism that was negative for your preferred candidate during the 2020 election, an egregious tampering with freedom of expression and the public conversation in the midst of an important democratic process,” write The Federalist senior editor and Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway, alluding to the Hunter Biden story.
“Twitter censored the world’s oldest newspaper from posting a story on the leading candidate for president & stopped us from sharing it. Then banned & sitting US president + allied accounts — after the party in charge asked them to,” radio host Jason Rantz tweeted.
“They think you’re stupid,” podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey said.
“Didn’t @jack literally react to the Parler ban with a [heart] emoji?” Newsweek opinion editor Josh Hammer asked, referring to a tweet from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
source foxnews.com
