The so-called collaboration between software company Oracle and the leftist Global Disinformation Index (GDI) is finally coming to an end, marking a victory for the free speech movement.
Oracle announced Thursday that it was halting its anti-free speech partnership with GDI, a leftist British group with ties to George Soros and the U.S. State Department accused of plotting censorship campaigns against conservative media. The news comes nearly two years after Oracle announced a “collaboration” with GDI to identify so-called “suitable environments” for third-party ad spending.
“‘After conducting review, we agree with others in the advertising industry that the services we provide marketers must be in full support of free speech, which is why we are ending our relationship with GDI,’” Oracle spokesperson Michael Egbert told the Washington Examiner.
In August 2021, Oracle championed its partnership with GDI to advise its partners from spending ad dollars on so-called “disinformation sites.”
A leaked GDI report, however, revealed that the leftist group targeted conservative-leaning organizations as sites that spread so-called “disinformation,” including the Washington Examiner. The New York Post, Reason magazine, RealClearPolitics, the Daily Wire, The Blaze, The Federalist, The American Conservative, The American Spectator, Newsmax and OANN were all leveled as “risky” and called on companies to avoid placing advertisements on these organizations.
GDI found itself under congressional backlash after it was revealed that the U.S. State Department funneled tax-payer grants to the anti-speech group. Twelve Republican lawmakers pressed Secretary of State Anthony Blinken over grants issued to a foreign organization that “policies and suppresses domestic American information.”
MRC Free Speech America also uncovered a GDI advisory panel with three Soros-tied members. Advisory Panel member Finn Heinreich is Soros’ Open Society Initiative for Europe division director for transparency, accountability, and participation. GDI lists panel member Ben Nimmo as representing the Soros-funded Atlantic Council on its website. Cris Tardáguila, another GDI advisory panel member, was the former director of the Soros-funded Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). GDI currently shows Tardáguila representing the IFCN on its website.
Read the congressional letter to the Department of State first reported by The Washington Examiner:
Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on so-called hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
