Mornin’ Politocadoes!
NPR is leaving Twitter! Yes, the one thing that all Twitter users have threatened to do at one point or another has been done by National Public Radio. It is the second news organization to do so, with CBS temporarily ceasing the use of the service in 2022 and it, unsurprisingly, has to do with how Elno is handling Twitter.
In order to provide better context to where news was coming from, Twitter had instituted labels to indicate whether a news agency was an independent outlet, state-affiliated media or otherwise. Last week, Twitter had slapped a “US state-affiliated” media label on NPR without warning or explanation. This label is normally meant for propaganda outlets run by authoritarian states which include such news outlets as RT or the China’s People’s Daily. What Elon did, essentially, was to confirm conservatives’ beliefs that because NPR receives government funding, it is a state-run outlet and therefore less trustworthy (NPR receives funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that account for less than 1% of their operating budget, and donations from corporate donors and viewers like you). It is in no way a state-run media outlet. Twitter later changed this to “Government Funded” after Elno failed to provide an adequate reason for the label.
NPR was naturally outraged by this and has pledged that none of its 52 twitter feeds that are associated with its brand will be updated with new content. And, whether or not Elon removes the label, NPR will not immediately return to the platform. NPR CEO John Lansing lamented,
“I have lost my faith in the decision-making at Twitter” and “need some time to understand whether Twitter can be trusted again.”
Elon’s decisions at Twitter have been bad for journalism, bad for democracy, and just, well, bad in general. He’s unleashed any restraints that had been put on Russian state media. He seems to be targeting more mainstreams news sources, having also labeled the BBC as “government-funded media” Having fired a majority of Twitter employees, the Doge meme was in place of the Twitter bird for several days probably because no one knew how to turn it back to normal. When asked for comment on the Labels debacle, Twitter’s Public Relations auto-replied with a Poop Emoji. Because he fired the people in Public Relations.There’s also his very public feud with his own pet journalist Matt Taibbi using Substack, which Musk views as a competitor.
If his aim were to destroy Twitter as a platform I’d say he’s succeeded. But since his stated goal is to keep people on the site I’d say he’s failed rather spectacularly.
Something to keep in mind! Police are using digital data to prosecute abortion seekers, and Facebook and Google are helping them! Even if they are not legally required to do so, the tech giants will aid them in this since it’s technically *against the law*. Please be careful when looking for abortion providers or helping someone who is looking for that assistance.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, if you have not been vaccinated please consider finding time to get an appointment. If you have had only one dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, do not forget about the second dose! A NEW BIVALENT COVID VACCINE is now available to fight against the latest variants! You can get any type of shot you like, provided you have already been double vaccinated. Even if you are vaccinated, please continue to maintain social distancing measures, wear masks in public areas in accordance with CDC guidelines in regard to your own vaccination status. EVEN VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS CAN STILL GET AND SPREAD IT.