What's the lesson here? As Rubio put it: "Sometimes, some idea that starts out as innocuous or maybe even good intention can metastasize, becomes a weapon that can be turned into something else by someone else."

The consequences were real and devastating. These weren't just labels – they led to Americans getting deplatformed and silenced online. High-profile targets included Ben Shapiro and The Federalist. But countless everyday citizens were also caught in the dragnet.

Just when you think it couldn't get more shocking: Before Trump took office, they didn't shut down the unit. They simply renamed it and moved it elsewhere in the bureaucracy. A classic government shell game to avoid accountability.

The most disturbing part? American taxpayers were unknowingly funding this censorship apparatus. Your tax dollars were being used to silence fellow Americans for exercising their First Amendment rights.

Sec. Rubio's team has been quietly dismantling this system over recent months. They're documenting what happened for two critical reasons: So those harmed can prove they were targeted to ensure it never happens again.

But that's not the end of the story. We're now facing an even bigger threat from abroad. The European Union has become increasingly aggressive in censoring speech, including targeting Americans speaking about American issues.

A concrete example: When Elon Musk hosted Donald Trump on X during the election season, EU officials threatened him with penalties. This was two non-EU citizens, discussing American politics, being threatened by foreign censors. The stakes couldn't be higher.

Here's what's even more concerning: The foreign censorship laws in places like the EU were partly shaped by the same ecosystem partners that were funded by the State Department. It created a global censorship machine that's still operating.

The EU Digital Services Act now threatens Americans with fines for speech that would be protected under our First Amendment. They've already threatened a billion-dollar fine against X for "non-compliance with disinformation" standards.

In a stark shift from previous policy, Rubio has raised this issue directly with foreign leaders, including at a recent Oval Office meeting with the UK Prime Minister. The message: Attacks on free expression undermine one of the core values that unite Western democracies.

The State Department is now refocusing on pro-American messaging and protecting free speech globally. A complete reversal from the previous censorship approach that targeted Americans.

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And this is why, the Patriot Act must be repealed. Why the FISA courts need to be shutdown or completely curtailed and overhauled as to be only used in a very specific way not the board dragnet approach that sweeps up Americans into being surveilled.

All of this sounds fantastic. BUT Trump is censoring and/or penalizing anyone or group if they disagree with him or ask a question he doesn’t like. How will this problem be addressed?

That could describe all of government quite well.

. . . Absolute nonsense... What kind of idiot would believe it? I will never know... . . .

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Thank you Karl - great post!

@threadreaderapp pls unroll

Everytime, not sometimes