The U.S. State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC) is officially shutting down, a move that raises major questions about the agency’s overreach. Originally established to combat foreign propaganda and disinformation, the GEC has come under intense scrutiny for allegedly crossing boundaries it was never meant to cross.
America First Legal (AFL) has been at the forefront of exposing the GEC’s controversial activities. Through relentless use of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, AFL uncovered troubling evidence that the GEC extended its reach far beyond its stated mission. Instead of focusing solely on foreign threats, the GEC allegedly interfered in domestic public opinion, working with private corporations to push agendas and even funding projects like the video game “Cat Park” to “inoculate” youth against disinformation.
The GEC’s impact on free speech is also deeply concerning. Documents obtained by AFL point to allegations that the GEC influenced social media platforms to censor content—specifically conservative viewpoints—raising serious questions about the government manipulating online speech both at home and abroad. This type of censorship flies in the face of the principles the United States claims to uphold.
The government has now announced plans to shutter the GEC, but the shutdown doesn’t mean the end of its mission. The State Department intends to reassign GEC staff and funding to other bureaus, suggesting that the war against foreign disinformation will continue—but under a new structure and with what could be even less oversight.
This raises alarming questions: If the GEC was already overstepping its bounds, what will the new initiatives look like? The shutdown of the GEC is only the beginning of a larger conversation about government overreach, free speech, and the right to an unbiased flow of information. The American public deserves transparency about what comes next.
🚨🇺🇸U.S SHUTS DOWN GLOBAL CENSORSHIP UNIT
The U.S. State Department's Global Engagement Center (GEC) was established to counter foreign state and non-state propaganda and disinformation, but it has faced significant scrutiny and criticism regarding its operations and objectives.… https://t.co/8VqHUHfjKX pic.twitter.com/O1uR6GN7PS
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 11, 2024
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