Last Updated on January 12, 2021
Left-wing Big Tech monopolies are being mocked for their panicked response to Uganda’s decision to block Facebook and Twitter for interfering in the country’s national elections and unethically censoring citizens. Twitter in particular has become the subject of scorn after releasing a statement Monday calling the Ugandan government’s decision to protect free speech a “violation of basic human rights.”
Facebook and Twitter have doubled down in recent weeks on their highly unethical and widely criticized political censorship policies, banning the President of the United States and millions of his supporters from their platforms while allowing racist and violent content from left-wing agitators to remain untouched.
In response to Big Tech’s attempt to enact similar censorship in Uganda, the country’s government promptly blocked Facebook and Twitter from local internet service providers and denounced the monopolies for interfering in local elections.
Twitter released a statement Tuesday which read, “Ahead of the Ugandan election, we’re hearing reports that Internet service providers are being ordered to block social media and messaging apps. We strongly condemn internet shutdowns – they are hugely harmful, violate basic human rights and the principles of thee #OpenInternet.”
Ahead of the Ugandan election, we're hearing reports that Internet service providers are being ordered to block social media and messaging apps.
We strongly condemn internet shutdowns – they are hugely harmful, violate basic human rights and the principles of the #OpenInternet.
— Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) January 12, 2021
The Big Tech platform was roundly mocked in replies to the tweet, attracting little sympathy from users already familiar with the site’s history of rampant censorship.
https://twitter.com/JohnHaloCE/status/1349066120972685313
Maybe they don’t want Twitter interring in their election like you’ve done in the US.
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) January 12, 2021
— I,Hypocrite (@lporiginalg) January 12, 2021
Twitter's like: "Don't restrict people's speech, that's our job."
— Reclaim The Net (@RecIaimTheNet) January 12, 2021
are there no mirrors at twitter
— Jessica O’Donnell (@heckyessica) January 12, 2021
Uganda was also unmoved by Twitter’s invocation of “basic human rights,” declaring in a video message that Big Tech’s expulsion from the country will be made permanent if Facebook and Twitter do not offer “fair hearings” to the individuals they have purged in recent weeks.
WATCH: We demand that @Facebook & @Twitter write directly to the individuals that lost their accounts. Since @Facebook cited @MoICT_Ug in their statement, let them write to us so that there’s a chance for a fair hearing.
Accounts lost on Facebook belong to @GovUganda employees. pic.twitter.com/gGSDYkfgWI— Uganda Media Centre (@UgandaMediaCent) January 12, 2021
The Ugandan government’s decision stands in stark contrast to the response taken by lawmakers in the United States, who have refused to take action against Big Tech’s pervasive political speech restrictionism.
