Morning Wire CISA Goes Rogue: How Cybersecurity Became Censorship | 2.25.24
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Feb 25, 2024 Mike Benz, a former State Department official and current executive director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, dives deep into the controversial role of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). He discusses accusations of censorship linked to CISA, especially following the 2016 elections. The conversation highlights the shift from combating misinformation to a broader censorship agenda. Benz also navigates the bipartisan dynamics fueling this issue and examines recent victories for free speech amid ongoing censorship challenges.
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CISA's Mission Creep
- CISA's initial purpose was cybersecurity, not tackling misinformation.
- Its mission expanded to censoring online speech, impacting elections and public health.
Protecting Institutions, Not Votes
- CISA's focus on protecting democratic institutions, rather than the vote itself, justified censoring speech.
- This allowed agencies like the CIA and FBI to control narratives domestically.
Selective Censorship
- The White House directed Facebook to prioritize New York Times content and throttle Daily Wire.
- This demonstrates how "democratic institutions" are selectively applied to censor opposing viewpoints.