reclaimthenet on Nostr: "The GEC is dead—long live the GEC?" The State Dept’s Global Engagement Center ...
"The GEC is dead—long live the GEC?"
The State Dept’s Global Engagement Center (GEC) has officially shut down, with its $61M budget (for now) stripped by Congress. But it could be a symbolic end. The mission—and the controversies—live on.
Launched in 2016 to counter foreign disinfo, the GEC morphed into something else: a domestic censorship weapon. GOP lawmakers, Elon Musk, and free speech advocates have accused it of surveilling Americans and flagging their social media for censorship. Musk called it “a threat to democracy,” the worst offender in a web of gov censorship efforts.
Despite closure, the staff (120 people) and projects are being reassigned. The State Dept insists it was about tackling Russian/Chinese influence. House investigations tell a darker story: the GEC allegedly worked with private companies to stifle lawful speech, hurt small businesses online, and manipulate elections.
So is the GEC really gone? Or is it just being rebranded, its work hidden deeper?
The State Dept’s Global Engagement Center (GEC) has officially shut down, with its $61M budget (for now) stripped by Congress. But it could be a symbolic end. The mission—and the controversies—live on.
Launched in 2016 to counter foreign disinfo, the GEC morphed into something else: a domestic censorship weapon. GOP lawmakers, Elon Musk, and free speech advocates have accused it of surveilling Americans and flagging their social media for censorship. Musk called it “a threat to democracy,” the worst offender in a web of gov censorship efforts.
Despite closure, the staff (120 people) and projects are being reassigned. The State Dept insists it was about tackling Russian/Chinese influence. House investigations tell a darker story: the GEC allegedly worked with private companies to stifle lawful speech, hurt small businesses online, and manipulate elections.
So is the GEC really gone? Or is it just being rebranded, its work hidden deeper?