Mike Benz, an expert on censorship and national security, shares insights from his experience as the Executive Director of Foundation for Freedom Online. He argues that the national security state is a major force driving censorship and election interference in the U.S., likening it to military rule. The discussion covers the evolving landscape of information warfare, the role of AI in moderating speech, and how the definition of democracy has shifted towards institutional control rather than popular will. Benz highlights the troubling connections between intelligence agencies and mainstream media.
Censorship in the United States is mainly driven by the national security state, leading to the erosion of democracy.
The military industrial complex utilizes censorship to control public opinion and manipulate elections.
The censorship industry, involving government, tech companies, and media allies, engages in pre-censorship and targets content challenging election legitimacy.
Deep dives
The Erosion of Freedom of Speech
The podcast episode discusses how freedom of speech, a defining characteristic of the United States, is rapidly declining due to censorship. The speaker emphasizes that the right to express one's thoughts and opinions, even if they are disliked or inconvenient, is essential to the democratic fabric of the country. However, modern censorship is not based on truthfulness or accuracy, but rather on fighting against disinformation and mal-information. The speaker highlights that this censorship is not only driven by the private sector but also directed by the US government itself.
The Influence of the Military Industrial Complex
The podcast delves into a specific kind of censorship originating from the military industrial complex and the defense industry, in relation to foreign policy and global warfare. The speaker points out that censorship has become a crucial tool in controlling public opinion and manipulating elections, with an increasing focus on controlling the media and social media ecosystem. This censorship infrastructure spans various institutions and organizations, including the Pentagon, the British Ministry of Defense, and Brussels. The episode highlights that this censorship industry poses a threat to democracy itself, as it effectively turns the people's will into an adversary that needs to be silenced.
The Mechanisms of Censorship
The podcast explores the mechanics of censorship and how it has evolved with the rise of social media. The speaker explains that in the early days of the internet, platforms like Facebook and Twitter were embraced by the Pentagon, the State Department, and intelligence services to support dissident groups in their efforts to overthrow authoritarian governments. However, as social media matured and independent voices on these platforms grew, it created a crisis for the military and the State Department. This led to the establishment of a censorship industry, involving partnerships between the government, tech companies, civil society organizations, and media allies. The episode highlights that this industry effectively engages in pre-censorship, targeting any content that challenges the legitimacy of elections or democratic institutions.
The Role of the State Department in Censorship
The podcast episode discusses the involvement of the State Department in censorship efforts. It highlights how State Department diplomats used their expertise in coercing governments to advocate for sanctions and pressure European governments to pass censorship laws. The Atlantic Council, a major political backer of Biden with seven CIA directors on its board, played a significant role in coordinating government-to-government censorship. The Atlantic Council also received funding from the Department of Defense, State Department, and CIA cutouts. This involvement led to the development of automated censorship technologies and the ability to censor millions of posts using machine learning models.
Censorship during the 2020 Election and COVID-19 Pandemic
The episode delves into the censorship during the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic. It reveals how the Department of Homeland Security, through the cyber security agency SISSA, classified online misinformation as a cyber attack on critical infrastructure. This allowed them to target individuals expressing doubts about mail-in ballots, classifying them as cyber attackers. The censorship efforts involved a coordinated campaign by various institutions, including universities, the Aspen Institute, and government-funded organizations. The episode emphasizes the importance of platforms like X as they face mounting pressure and the potential for increased censorship in the upcoming election year.
The national security state is the main driver of censorship and election interference in the United States. “What I’m describing is military rule,” says Mike Benz. “It’s the inversion of democracy.”
