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Social media hive mind: How Twitter 'throttles' content that disagrees with their political views

Scott Adams
Scott Adams Blog
Sat, 04 Feb 2017 15:57 UTC
Twitter
© Dado Ruvic/Reuters
You might have clicked on my misleading tweet to get to this page. I had to disguise the content so Twitter wouldn't throttle it.

Here's why...

This morning I tweeted a link to a great video that describes in detail how Twitter "throttles" the tweets of any content that disagrees with their political views. The video describes how Twitter gives a fake message that some tweets are no longer available, to discourage you from clicking to them. The tweets still exist, and you can access them by directly clicking the links in the tweets, but most people would not think to do that.

If you don't think that's a real thing, here's my tweet about the video. They did it to me. And this is common for my tweets about Trump or climate science. They throttle me to prevent them from going viral. And it only happens with certain types of content.

twitter throttle

Comment:



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Chart Bar

"America's Friends and Enemies": The perception of Russia in the US - poll


RT
Sat, 04 Feb 2017 22:26 UTC
United States
© Lucas Jackson / Reuters
The perception of Russia in the US appears to be close to that of the Cold War era, according to a recent YouGov poll. A third of respondents said they viewed the Russian Federation as "unfriendly," while a fifth regard it as an "enemy."

The survey, entitled "America's Friends and Enemies," was conducted by the YouGov pollster between January 28 and February 1, and involved "adults living in the United States."

Out of a total of 144 states in the poll, every respondent was given a list of 15 random countries and asked a question: "Do you consider the countries listed below to be a friend or an enemy of the United States?"

Comment: See also: Russian people still love Putin: 85% approval rating

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USA

Cracking down on dissent: 10 new bills proposed to limit protests

Elise Young and Janan Hanna
Bloomberg
Fri, 03 Feb 2017 20:32 UTC
Berkeley protest
© Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesDamage from protests in Berkeley, California, on Feb. 2.
Republicans in statehouses across the U.S. are devising legal tools to regulate public dissent as demonstrators take to the streets to protest President Donald Trump in waves not seen since the Vietnam War.

At least 10 bills to limit protests have been introduced in recent months. North Dakota is considering protection for motorists who unintentionally kill protesters blocking roads. Washington state Senator Doug Ericksen would punish those who "disrupt our economy." Next week, North Carolina Senator Dan Bishop will call for imprisoning people who intimidate ex-officials, after former Governor Pat McCrory was pursued down a Washington, D.C., alley by a group chanting "Shame!"

"That extends over the borderline of decency," Bishop said in an interview. Though such demonstrators are "constitutionally entitled" to express their views, he said, they aren't free to threaten violence.

Many of the bills, which critics say impinge on constitutional freedoms, were filed before Trump's election in response to Black Lives Matter and oil-pipeline protests. They've gained fresh relevance amid global women's marches and nationwide airport demonstrations over Trump's immigration ban. On Wednesday night, black-clad protesters set fires and smashed glass at the University of California at Berkeley, forcing the cancellation of a speech by a conservative writer.
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People

Poll finds 22% of Germans consider US as reliable a partner as Russia


RT
Sat, 04 Feb 2017 20:45 UTC
People protest against U.S. President Donald Trump in Berlin, Germany, November 12, 2016
© Axel Schmidt / ReutersPeople protest against U.S. President Donald Trump in Berlin, Germany, November 12, 2016
Less than a quarter of Germans consider the US, under Donald Trump's leadership, to be a reliable partner their country can trust according to a recent survey. Roughly the same number of respondents believe Germany can cooperate with Russia.

The Infratest dimap study reveals that German public trust in the US has dived to a record low, with only 22 percent of Germans supporting Trump's policies, just two weeks after the Republican assumed office, Der Welt reports.

The new figures represent a 37 percent drop of trust compared to a similar poll conducted just before the US presidential election. In November 2016, 59 percent of Germans trusted the US compared to 22 percent now.

The new survey also placed German confidence in Russia on almost the same level with the US. Only 21 percent of responders said they believe Russia to be a reliable partner. While also low, that number is nothing compared to the distrust towards Turkey, which has the miserly support of only four percent of Germans.
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Briefcase

Trump's EPA Nominee Pruitt Is Right To Call For A Climate Debate

Tom Harris
The Daily Caller
Fri, 03 Feb 2017 14:28 UTC
Scott Pruitt
© Jonathan Ernst | ReutersOklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Democratic members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee boycotted the February 1 vote on President Donald Trump's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency largely because of the nominee's position on climate change.

For example, Committee member Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) explained that he opposed Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt's candidacy because he "denies the sum of empirical science and the urgency to act on climate change."

Considering the vast uncertainty in this field, arguably the most complex science ever tackled, Pruitt's position is actually very 'progressive.' Rather that trying to restrict discussion about the underlying reasons for expensive climate change mitigation policies, now costing $1 billion a day worldwide, Pruitt has called for open debate about the issue.


Comment: Trump's nominee to EPA says human impact on climate change 'needs more debate'


It is the Democrats and their activist allies who, reminiscent of the 13th century Spanish Inquisition, are intent upon censoring what they regard as scientific heresy. They have apparently forgotten that real science is all about skepticism and constant re-examination of old theories.

Comment: See also:

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Airplane

Iranian professors request easing travel restrictions for US citizens coming to Iran


RFE/RL
Sat, 04 Feb 2017 00:00 UTC
Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
© www.its.caltech.eduSharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
A group of professors has urged Iranian President Hassan Rohani to respond to a recent order by U.S. President Donald Trump temporarily barring travel by Iranians to the United States by easing travel restrictions for U.S. citizens visiting their country.

Seventy-two professors from the prestigious Sharif University of Technology on February 4 issued an open letter to Rohani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif calling on them to offer to issue visas upon arrival in Tehran for U.S. citizens for the next 90 days. They said the best response to the U.S. policy would be to let Americans see Iranian "hospitality" for themselves.

Trump on January 27 signed an order temporarily banning all refugees and citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen from entering the United States. A U.S. judge, however, issued a restraining order against the decision on February 3 and the U.S. government suspended it the next day.

The professors' proposal comes at a time of high tensions between the United States and Iran after Washington imposed news sanctions on some Iranian individuals and entities following Tehran's test of a medium-range ballistic missile. Iran has promised to impose similar sanctions against U.S. individuals and entities.

Comment: See also: US suspends travel ban to comply with court ruling, President Trump tweets "ridiculous" and will be "overturned"

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Gear

Jumping on the bandwagon: Researchers calling for boycott of US scientific meetings in protest of Trump immigration policies

Kai Kupferschmidt
Science
Sat, 04 Feb 2017 18:16 UTC
scientist boycott trump immigration
Some members of the International Astronomical Union, meeting here during a 2012 conference, have called on the organization to suspend all meetings in the United States.
A growing number of researchers is calling for a boycott of U.S. scientific meetings to protest the immigration policies of the new Trump administration.

The Organizing Committee of the Commission G2 Massive Stars, part of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), announced today it would not hold any meetings in the United States as long as the ban on entry by persons from seven Muslim-majority countries is in place. The committee asked its parent organization to do likewise after IAU said it was "profoundly concerned by the impact the recent U.S. executive order, and possible reactions to it from other countries, could have on international collaboration in astronomy and the mobility of scientists."

"People in our committee felt that the statement that came from the IAU wasn't strong enough," says Jorick Vink, vice president of the Organizing Committee and an astronomer at Armagh Observatory in the United Kingdom. The committee's seven members "agreed in a minute" to launch the boycott, Vink notes.

Comment: Where was the outrage among these 'concerned' scientists when Obama made similar moves while also bombing and killing millions of Muslims in the process?

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Stock Down

Steep decline in signups for fascist Obamacare program under Trump


RT
Sat, 04 Feb 2017 13:29 UTC
obamacare sign
© Mike Blake / Reuters
Half a million fewer Americans have enrolled in Obamacare through healthcare.gov since US President Donald Trump took office. This first ever decline in sign-ups follows the new administration's cancelling of millions of dollars worth of advertising.

In the final days of Obamacare open enrollment, President Trump not only pulled advertising and stopped outreach efforts reminding Americans of the deadline to enroll, the president also signed an executive order weakening enforcement of the individual mandate.

Open enrollment for Obamacare ended on January 31, with 9.2 million Americans selecting plans through the website, a decline from the previous year when 9.6 million Americans signed up, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released on Friday.

Comment: Perhaps instead of the cause in decline in Obamacare signups being because Trump cut the advertising, it's because many people only signed up for it because the IRS was going to penalize them if they didn't and with Trump in power and removing Obamacare on his agenda, they're betting that they won't be penalized going forward.

Bottom line: if people really wanted Obamacare, it wouldn't need to advertise and the enrollment wouldn't decrease with Trump getting into office.

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Mr. Potato

"Outside World" according to the Western "Progressive Liberals"

Andre Vltchek
Dissident Voice
Wed, 01 Feb 2017 16:44 UTC
liberal type 1
Most likely you have already heard that tune, ten times, or maybe one hundred, depending where you live and the circle of friends you have. But let me remind you how it goes: "I'll never set foot in Singapore, because it is all business there." Or: "Let others go to Gulf countries, I'd never do something like that. They have no culture and it is all showing off and glitz there, purchased with oil money... not to mention all those terrible conflicts they are fueling in the region." Then, there is that big ugly "I" name: "Me going there? Over my dead body! It is illegitimate; it is sitting on other peoples' land."

So it goes...

While genuine criticism is always healthy, it is important to realize that many of those who get ignited by even hearing the names of places like Dubai or Singapore are actually living in the cities like New York, Paris or London. Some are even practicing law, or other mainstream professions that have to be defined as the true mainstays of Western regimes.
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Map

Over 48,000 Russians claim free land in Far East


RT
Sat, 04 Feb 2017 16:42 UTC
Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky
© Alexandr Piragis / SputnikAn evening fog and fire smoke over Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky.
Over 48,000 requests have been received this week from Russian citizens responding to a state-backed program giving away a free hectare of land in the Far East.

The program approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin last May is meant to populate and develop the region.


Comment: Putin declares free land in Russia's Far East will be provided with infrastructure


Starting February 1, any Russian citizen can claim their free hectare (10,000 square meters) of land in Russia's Eastern and Pacific regions.

Claims can be registered on the official website: https://надальнийвосток.рф/.

The areas include Yakutia, Kamchatka, Chukotka, Primorye, Khabarovsk, Amur, Magadan, Sakhalin, and the Jewish Autonomous Regions.

Comment: Also see:

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