Twitter is Banning Prominent Journalists Criticizing Elon Musk

DECEMBER 15, 2022

A slew of prominent journalists were suspended from Twitter on Thursday afternoon

A SLEW OF prominent journalists were suspended from Twitter on Thursday afternoon, adding onto an already controversial week of content moderation decisions by new platform owner Elon Musk.

New York Times reporter Ryan Mac, The Washington Post’s Drew Harwell, Mashable’s Matt Binder, CNN reporter Donie O’Sullivan, and independent journalist Aaron Rupar were removed from the platform in a late afternoon purge. The removed accounts shared a common thread of critical coverage of Musk and his management and policy decisions following his October takeover of Twitter.

Also removed from twitter was an account run by freelance journalist Tony Webster, who shared on Mastodon, that he was booted from his account with no warning. “My Twitter account has been suspended,” he wrote with a screenshot of his suspended account. “I’ve received no explanation.”

The slew of bans comes on the heels of a controversial decision by musk to ban software developer Jack Sweeney, who created various Twitter accounts that tracked the flights of private jets and celebrity aircraft via various twitter accounts under his stewardship.

moar: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/elon-musk-twitter-journalists-banned-1234648351/

Senate Passes $858 Billion Defense-Policy Bill

Dec. 15, 2022

NDAA provides pay raises for troops, funds military priority, ends Covid-19 vaccine mandate

The Senate passed an $858 billion defense-policy bill on Thursday that authorizes U.S. military leaders to purchase new weapons and would increase pay for military members, checking a major item off Congress’s year-end to-do list.

Lawmakers voted 83-11 to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which would increase America’s total national security budget by roughly 10% from last year’s $778 billion authorization bill. The proposal needed at least 60 votes to pass the Senate.

The House passed the legislation last week with 350 votes in favor and 80 votes against. It now goes to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

Congress is racing to finish its remaining business before it leaves town next week. In a separate matter, the Senate was set to pass a bill later Thursday providing a one-week extension to current government spending levels to give negotiators more time to craft a full-year omnibus deal. Current funding expires after Friday.

moar: https://archive.ph/il8WL#selection-257.11-279.38