Daily Wire and The Federalist file lawsuit against Biden State Department for censorship attempt
The Daily Wire, The Federalist, and Texas Sue U.S. State Department Over Alleged Funding of Censorship Technology
In a bold move, The Daily Wire, The Federalist, and the state of Texas have joined forces to file a lawsuit against the U.S. State Department. The lawsuit, which can be found here, accuses the government agency of funding censorship technology that aims to bankrupt domestic media outlets with disfavored political opinions.
Unleashing the Global Engagement Center Against Americans
The lawsuit claims that the State Department, despite having no authority over domestic affairs, misused the Global Engagement Center (GEC) to target American citizens engaged in what it deemed as “disinformation.” The GEC, originally created to counter foreign terrorist propaganda, was allegedly used to suppress free speech within the country. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and five other officials are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit seeks to declare the State Department’s interference with domestic speech as illegal and permanently prevent it from developing or promoting technology that restricts the lawful speech of the American press and its citizens.
From Counterterrorism to Censorship
The GEC, established in 2011 as the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, was initially tasked with countering propaganda from foreign terrorists like Al Qaeda. However, the complaint alleges that it shifted its focus to Americans, using taxpayer funds to support censorship organizations such as NewsGuard and the Global Disinformation Index (GDI). These organizations allegedly targeted conservative media outlets, including The Daily Wire and The Federalist, with the goal of limiting their ad revenue.
Mark Chenoweth, representing the media outlets on behalf of the New Civil Liberties Alliance, argues that the federal government cannot indirectly do what the First Amendment prohibits it from doing directly.
The Fight Against Disinformation
The GDI’s main product is a “Dynamic Exclusion List” of media outlets deemed to present a high risk of disinformation. Advertisers use this list to avoid associating with these outlets. Last month, this tactic was employed against Elon Musk, resulting in blue-chip advertisers pulling their ads from platforms where they occasionally appeared near objectionable content.
GDI claims that its mission is to eliminate the incentive for creating disinformation to generate advertising revenues.
Funding and Promotion by the State Department
The lawsuit states that GDI was funded and promoted by the State Department, leading to devastating consequences for media outlets. Another for-profit company, NewsGuard, also received funding from the State Department. NewsGuard aimed to cut off revenues to fake news sites by creating a whitelist of legitimate news sites. The Federalist was ranked as “unreliable” by NewsGuard, while The Daily Wire was deemed “credible with significant exceptions.”
GEC provided funding to GDI in 2021 through the U.S.-Paris Tech Challenge, awarding the organization $100,000. The State Department-funded National Endowment for Democracy also reportedly funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to GDI. However, the National Endowment for Democracy later clarified that its mandate is to work globally, not within the United States, and would no longer fund GDI.
The State Department also co-sponsored a tech challenge focused on combating COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation, which awarded a prize to NewsGuard. NewsGuard pledged to assist the State Department by flagging COVID-related hoaxes.
Using Foreign Tools Against Domestic Political Opponents
The lawsuit argues that the government misused tools originally developed for countering foreign propaganda as weapons against domestic political opponents.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, leading the fight against the State Department, vows to protect Americans’ constitutional rights from what he calls Joe Biden’s tyrannical federal government.
Paxton states, “The State Department’s mission to obliterate the First Amendment is completely un-American. This agency will not get away with their illegal campaign to silence citizens and publications they disagree with.”
The lawsuit also claims that the State Department’s funding of censorship tools infringes on Paxton’s ability to enforce Texas’ anti-censorship laws.
The Daily Wire, in a statement regarding the lawsuit, asserts that the Biden administration is illegally funding organizations with the goal of financially crippling media outlets that do not align with the government’s ideological agenda. They emphasize their commitment to fighting for the rights of all news organizations and the constitutional guarantee of a free press.
How has being labeled as “unreliable” by NewsGuard impacted the revenue and credibility of the outlet?
Nked as “unreliable” by NewsGuard, resulting in a loss of revenue and credibility for the outlet.
The lawsuit alleges that the State Department’s involvement in funding and promoting these censorship organizations is a violation of the First Amendment rights of the American press and its citizens. It argues that the government should not be in the business of determining what is considered disinformation and restricting the lawful speech of media outlets.
Furthermore, the lawsuit argues that the State Department’s actions have had a chilling effect on free speech, leading to self-censorship by media outlets out of fear of losing ad revenue. This, in turn, undermines the fundamental principles of a free and independent press.
The Importance of a Free Press
A free and independent press is essential in a democracy to hold those in power accountable and provide the public with accurate and unbiased information. The lawsuit filed by The Daily Wire, The Federalist, and Texas is a crucial step in safeguarding the First Amendment rights of the American press and its citizens.
If the State Department’s actions are allowed to continue unchecked, it could set a dangerous precedent for government interference in the media and freedom of speech. It is essential that the courts address these allegations and affirm the importance of a free and unfettered press in our society.
The Legal Battle Ahead
The lawsuit filed by The Daily Wire, The Federalist, and Texas represents a significant challenge to the State Department’s alleged funding of censorship technology. It will undoubtedly be a closely watched legal battle, with potentially far-reaching implications for the future of free speech and the role of the government in regulating the media.
The outcome of this lawsuit will not only impact the named media outlets but also have wider implications for the entire media landscape. It will determine whether the government has the authority to dictate what is considered disinformation and restrict the lawful speech of media outlets.
As the legal battle unfolds, it is important for the public to stay informed and engaged. The First Amendment rights of the American press and its citizens are at stake, and the outcome of this case will have a lasting impact on the future of free speech in our country.
Conclusion
The lawsuit filed by The Daily Wire, The Federalist, and Texas against the State Department is a bold move to challenge the alleged funding of censorship technology that aims to suppress free speech and bankrupt media outlets with disfavored political opinions. The State Department’s involvement in funding and promoting censorship organizations is a violation of the First Amendment rights of the American press and its citizens.
The outcome of this lawsuit will have significant implications for the future of free speech and the role of government in regulating the media. It is crucial that the courts address these allegations and affirm the importance of a free and unfettered press in our society.
The fight against disinformation should not be used as a pretext to restrict the lawful speech of media outlets. It is the responsibility of every citizen to stand up for the First Amendment rights and ensure the preservation of a free and independent press in our democracy.
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