Twitter Is Shutting Down Chinese Activists' Accounts – Rolling Stone

Elon’s mass firing of security staff and increased reliance on automation is going to make it easier for tyrants to shout down and silence their critics, former staffers warn The acts of defiance were rare and rather novel, for a surveillance state. The way the world found out was well-worn. When Chinese protesters took to the streets to shout “Down with Xi Jinping” and denounce China’s harsh Covid lockdown measures, activists and their supporters took to Twitter to share news and clips of the disobedience. To many, it seemed like a swan song, given Twitter’s uncertain fate under its new management.  “To everyone saying #Twitter is over… Maybe your last act on this godforsaken platform could be to amplify the voices of protesters in China calling for freedom?” Vickie Wang, a Taiwanese writer and comedian, wrote as she retweeted clips of protesters and shared Zoom meeting information where Chinese protesters could organize.   Not long afterwards, Twitter suspended Wang’s account, as well as those of others participating in, and supporting, the protests. That included Ai-Men Lau — a research analyst at the Taiwan-based nonprofit DoubleThink Labs — who amplified clips and quotes from protesters and the hashtag they were using to
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