America First Legal has uncovered an alleged censorship operation involving USAID and the State Department’s Global Engagement Center, potentially threatening Americans’ free speech rights under the guise of combating “misinformation.”
Top Takeaways
- America First Legal obtained over 200 pages of documents revealing coordination between USAID and the Global Engagement Center in what they describe as a government-backed censorship operation
- The operation allegedly involved partnerships with the UK government and private media firms including NewsGuard and Poynter to use AI tools to monitor and suppress certain content
- The State Department closed the Global Engagement Center in December 2024 following congressional investigations into its activities
- Private organizations involved in the initiatives deny claims of censorship, stating they were supporting independent journalism
- AFL argues these partnerships threatened First Amendment protections by allowing government agencies to indirectly control public discourse
Alleged Government Censorship Operation Exposed
America First Legal (AFL) has released documents they claim reveal a coordinated censorship effort between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC). According to AFL, these agencies collaborated with the British Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office and private media organizations to control narratives and suppress free speech under the pretext of combating misinformation, disinformation, and “malinformation” – a term used to describe information that may be factual but deemed harmful by authorities. The documents were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by AFL against the State Department.
The documents allegedly show that USAID maintained an internal “Disinformation Primer” that praised private sector censorship strategies. AFL claims the operation specifically targeted COVID-19 related information and other politically sensitive topics, potentially silencing legitimate American voices. The State Department closed the GEC in December 2024 following congressional investigations into its activities, but questions remain about the extent of the program’s reach and impact on public discourse.
/2 The documents reveal the Global Engagement Center (GEC), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the UK government, and media groups working together to conduct mass censorship under the guise of “misinformation,” “disinformation,” and “malinformation.” pic.twitter.com/PJnj3exWzu
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) March 20, 2025
Private Partners and AI Censorship Tools
According to AFL’s findings, the GEC worked with private media organizations including NewsGuard Technologies and the Poynter Institute to develop and implement monitoring systems. These partnerships allegedly resulted in the creation of “Disinfo Cloud,” a platform used by various governments to counter what they deemed propaganda and disinformation. Documents show that NewsGuard’s General Manager, Matt Skibinski, demonstrated a project called “Misinformation Fingerprints,” which used artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify and monitor content labeled as misinformation across multiple platforms.
“The partnership between USAID and the Global Engagement Center is bad news for the American people. Add in the fact that they were coordinating with internet censorship enforcers at NewsGuard and Poynter, and you can start to see just how dangerous this unholy alliance is for free speech and free expression. Thankfully, the GEC is shuttered and USAID is being exposed — but lawmakers should take note of this example as they consider legislation to ensure the federal government actually serves American principles and interests,” said Andrew Block, AFL senior counsel.
Mike Benz show proof on Joe Rogan that American taxpayers paid for both the Covid Pandemic and our own Covid Censorship with USAID money
“I always say when it's too dirty for the CIA, you give to USAID”
“This is Internews with a worldwide media octopus sponsored a half a… pic.twitter.com/cqSKC3nXc6
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) March 22, 2025
Constitutional Concerns and Government Overreach
AFL highlights the absence of a firewall to prevent federal resources from being used for technologies with domestic impacts. Their legal team argues this created a situation where government agencies could indirectly influence public discourse by funding and coordinating with private organizations that have the ability to flag, rate, or suppress content. The operation allegedly extended beyond American borders, with AFL exposing the sharing of alleged “malinformation” from U.S. Department of State emails to UK government officials.
The documents reveal that the GEC and USAID collaborated on a risk analysis program to monitor “disinformation” narratives, including those related to the 2020 presidential elections in Moldova. USAID, which has been integrated into the State Department during the Trump administration after revelations of controversial expenditures, has faced increased scrutiny regarding its domestic and international activities.
AFL continues its legal efforts to combat what it describes as government censorship and defend First Amendment protections. The organization emphasizes that these revelations should prompt lawmakers to consider legislation ensuring federal government agencies operate in accordance with constitutional principles regarding free speech and expression.
