In the fall of 2020, Elon Musk revealed private files internal discussions about Hunter Biden's computer files on Twitter, igniting controversy on a new front.
The latest indication that the tech billionaire continues to steer the platform in a direction that is more favorable to conservatives and libertarians is the promotion of a leak of documents by the new owner of Twitter, Elon Musk, on his personal account on Friday evening.Musk urged his followers to vote Republican in advance of the midterm elections.After participating in an informal online poll, he reinstated the Twitter account of former President Donald Trump last month.
Twitter's reaction to the New York Post's report on Hunter Biden's files in the final weeks of the previous presidential campaign provides insight into the dissent and confusion within the company, which predate Musk's ownership.
Twitter's reaction to the New York Post's report on Hunter Biden's files in the final weeks of the previous presidential campaign provides insight into the dissent and confusion within the company, which predate Musk's ownership.
The communications, which were given to Substack writer Matt Taibbi, a frequent critic of mainstream media outlets and online censorship, have not been independently verified by POLITICO.On Friday night, Taibbi unpacked a portion of the leak in a lengthy Twitter conversation.
In Taibbi's tweets, Musk teased the event, promising, "This will be awesome," and suggesting he was personally involved in its preparation.
As individuals awaited the anticipated disclosures, Musk tweeted, "We’re double-checking some facts, so probably start live tweeting in about 40 minutes."Musk blocked Ye's account after the rapper tweeted, "I like Hitler," but his most recent controversial move came before the dust had settled.
The right has assumed the role of free speech in the current culture war, while the center and left have cited concerns about disinformation and hate speech to support tighter restrictions on online expression.Musk's laissez-faire approach to moderation has enraged the left and endeared him to the right since he took over Twitter in October.
The mogul tweeted, "This is necessary to restore public trust," hinting that he would release information regarding Twitter's role in suppressing the New York Post's reports last week.
For the past two years, Twitter's handling of the leak and Hunter Biden's leaked computer files, which shed light on his chaotic personal life and overseas business dealings, have been the subject of ongoing controversy.
Twitter initially cited its policy on hacked and stolen materials when it blocked links to the New York Post's reporting and even prevented users from sharing them in private messages. However, days later, the company reversed its decision.
Twitter suspended the Post's account for more than two weeks after the outlet refused to delete a tweet about the story. On October 30, 2020, long after it had lifted other restrictions on the story, Twitter reversed the suspension.
Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter at the time, said in the aftermath that he regretted the platform's decision to censor the story.
Joe Biden, then-candidate, referred to a letter from former intelligence officials stating that the disclosure "has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation" during a debate following the initial publication of the Post.
John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence for Trump at the time, stated that there was no evidence to suggest that the stories were the product of a Russian campaign to spread misinformation.
Hunter Biden told ABC News in a post-campaign interview that he did not know if the equipment was his, but that it "certainly" could have been.
In the two years since the New York Post stories, journalists have verified large portions of the cache using both traditional reporting methods and technical analyses. However, it is still possible that forged or altered material has been inserted into the cache.
A POLITICO reporter wrote in a book published in September 2021 that the cache of files was "at least largely genuine."
The New York Times reported in March that people who were familiar with the emails from the cache had verified that they were related to Hunter Biden's overseas business dealings.The Washington Post reported later that same month that two computer security experts it had hired to examine the files came to the conclusion that 22,000 of the emails in the cache were genuine.
Last month, CBS News reported that the files' commissioned forensic examination revealed no signs of manipulation.
A criminal investigation by the Justice Department continues to focus on Hunter Biden's tax affairs.He has claimed innocence.
When House Republicans take control of the chamber next month, they intend to conduct an investigation into Hunter Biden's business dealings, as they did in October when they tweeted a tribute to Musk.
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