Alex StamosFeb 8, 2023

Watching the House Oversight hearing and the ex-Twitter witnesses are doing a great job while being attacked by pretty much everybody.

Some initial reactions:
1) Despite the high-profile nature of this hearing, members don't seem much better prepared than in other tech hearings. Lots of misuse of technical terms (Rep. Jordan asking about "hard coding" multiple times) and confusion on the Hunter non-consensual tweets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fo_yD8r3w4

Full Committee Hearing - Part 1: Twitter’s Role in Suppressing the Biden Laptop Story

Learn more at https://republicans-oversight.house.gov/

YouTube
Show threadFirst Dread Pirate RobertsFeb 8, 2023

@alex The FBI had possession of the Hunter Biden laptop, and was feeding misinformation to social media.

“It is also axiomatic that a state may not induce, encourage or promote private persons to accomplish what it is constitutionally forbidden to accomplish.” ~ Norwood v. Harrison (1973).

Show threadAlex StamosFeb 8, 2023

@PirateRoberts A hearing on the interaction between the FBI and other USG agencies and Twitter is totally appropriate, although no evidence specifically tying Twitter's decision on the Post story to FBI information has surfaced.

However, if it is inappropriate for government actors to put pressure on private actors to shape 1A protected speech decisions, then this hearing is also inappropriate. Using the subpoena power to punish these individuals for using their 1A rights is also jawboning.

Show threadFirst Dread Pirate Roberts
@alex Who is being punished? If it is individuals being paid by taxpayers, who have positions of trust, then yes, it is appropriate.
Feb 8, 2023 at 5:23pmWeb
Show threadAlex StamosFeb 8, 2023
@PirateRoberts The Twitter witnesses are private individuals who made decisions within the 1st Amendment protected ability for Twitter to decide what speech it carries and amplifies. A member of the House of Representatives strongly implied one of them, who was compelled to appear by the power vested in the committee, is a pedophile. That is clearly and example of using the power and funding of the US Government to punish a private individual.