USA Aid's Censorship Strategy Exposed

Headline: Exposed: Government-backed Censorship Operation Targets Americans under Cover of COVID-19 Fight

Get ready for an eye-opening revelation! Recent documents obtained through litigation against the U.S. Department of State's Global Engagement Center (GEC) have exposed a chilling alliance between the GEC, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the British Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office (FCDO), and media censorship organizations. This unsettling partnership aims to manipulate public discourse, control media narratives, and suppress free speech in the name of combating so-called "misinformation."

The GEC, initially created to combat foreign disinformation abroad, has been unmasked as engaging in state-sponsored propaganda. While it shut down in December 2024, its impact on the domestic scene remains a significant concern. One of the most alarming facts is the coordination between the GEC, USAID, and various branches of USAID, including "TF 2020-COVID 19," "Digital Development," "Asia Bureau ES Taskers," "Asia Outreach," "Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS) Policy," and "CPS Africa," to counter misinformation and propaganda surrounding COVID-19.

But it doesn't stop there. The GEC has also collaborated with internet censorship firms like Poynter and NewsGuard, famed for their AI tools designed to identify and rate websites based on misinformation. These tools testify to the GEC's efforts to shield the public from alleged misinformation during the 2020 U.S. Presidential elections. When the self-described mission of USAID is to extend assistance to disaster-stricken, poverty-ridden, and democratically reforming countries, partnering with censorship organizations raises valid concerns about their true intentions.

Moreover, the GEC's collaboration with Poynter raises questions about the ulterior motives behind its "global platform that evaluated and connected tools with mission-critical challenges." The House Small Business Committee found that Poynter, in partnership with the Atlantic Council, the Global Disinformation Index, and other organizations, tested disinformation products, eventually leading to the creation of the "Disinfo Cloud." This unclassified platform is now being used by several governments, including the U.S., the EU, the UK, Australia, and Estonia, to counter adversarial propaganda and disinformation.

This exposé of government censorship is far from over. America First Legal (AFL) will continue to unveil the hidden machinations of these organizations to protect our First Amendment rights that must always be safeguarded.

Primer on digital governance, AI, and disinformation:

While various governments, tech platforms, and experts are actively discussing AI's potential as a weapon against misinformation, credible sources like the Carnegie Endowment, RebootDemocracy.AI, and Euronews have yet to confirm specific collaborations between the Global Engagement Center, USAID, British government, and media firms for COVID-19 censorship. The conversation primarily revolves around the challenges and risks of AI-driven government overreach, automated content blocking, and the potential erosion of accountability—but it does not address the collaboration mentioned above.

Stay tuned for more updates as AFL continues its crusade against government censorship! For more information, read the documents here.

Source

The recent documents reveal an alliance between the Global Engagement Center (GEC), USAID, the British Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office (FCDO), and media censorship organizations, aiming to manipulate American public discourse and suppress free speech under the guise of combating misinformation.
The GEC, known initially for combating foreign disinformation abroad, has been exposed for engaging in state-sponsored propaganda, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, collaborating with internet censorship firms like Poynter and NewsGuard.
The GEC's collaboration with Poynter raises concerns about ulterior motives, as Poynter's global platform evaluates tools meant to counter misinformation during critical periods like war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice.
America First Legal (AFL) has unveiled partnerships between the GEC, USAID, and various branches of USAID, such as "TF 2020-COVID 19," "Digital Development," and "CPS Africa," working together to counter alleged misinformation.
As the fight against government censorship continues, AFL calls for the protection of First Amendment rights, emphasizing the need for independent journalism in maintaining a free and open society that upholds truth, freedom, and free speech.