Ministers had secret unit to curb lockdown dissent

[steveatesh]

Can’t see that this one has been previously posted but article in the Telegraph on Friday claiming the above.

“ A secretive government unit worked with social media companies in an attempt to curtail discussion of controversial lockdown policies during the pandemic, The Telegraph can reveal”

Astonishing if true, and shows the extent the public information space can be manipulated and controlled even here.

https://archive.ph/CR4X3

[Douglas Quaid]

This was talked about in the covid thread about 2 years ago so it’s not like it is a big secret. It is interesting that it is starting to get out into mainstream media now though.

[JagLover]

Douglas Quaid said:

This was talked about in the covid thread about 2 years ago so it’s not like it is a big secret. It is interesting that it is starting to get out into mainstream media now though.

Yes

I am not sure how this is news. YouTube was notorious for suppressing anything that went against the narrative.

[ClaphamGT3]

The "nudge" unit - set up by Cameron when he came into office.

Hardly a secret as its role in shaping public opinion on the introduction of lockdowns was widely debated in the press during February and March 2020

[Digga]

Even on here, people were calling others ‘anti-vax loons’ for having any alternative views. In fact, even last month, someone dismissed the opinion of Dr Aseem Malhotra, simply because he’d appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast.

[JagLover]

Digga said:

Even on here, people were calling others ‘anti-vax loons’ for having any alternative views. In fact, even last month, someone dismissed the opinion of Dr Aseem Malhotra, simply because he’d appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast.

Nothing displays your proud "progressive" credentials better than becoming a mindless corporate shill.

[Countdown]

Digga said:

Even on here, people were calling others ‘anti-vax loons’ for having any alternative views. .

having an "alternative view" doesn't stop you from also being an "anti vax loon". It depends on what the alternative view is.

[JagLover]

Countdown said:

having an "alternative view" doesn't stop you from also being an "anti vax loon". It depends on what the alternative view is.

On here the common "alternative views" were

The vaccine had significant side-effects and injured a significant number who took it
The risk from the virus was such that it was not advisable for young people to take the vaccine
The vaccine did not significantly reduce onward transmission
There could be no justification for coercing people into taking the vaccine (mainly as a result of all of the above)

[bigandclever]

Government press release from 30 March 2020. The secretive bds!.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-crac...

[PurplePangolin]

Countdown said:

Digga said:

Even on here, people were calling others ‘anti-vax loons’ for having any alternative views. .

having an "alternative view" doesn't stop you from also being an "anti vax loon". It depends on what the alternative view is.

And it also depends on who decides what is an alternative view

[kiethton]

bigandclever said:

Government press release from 30 March 2020. The secretive bds!.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-crac...

Issue is, it wasn't false information being stopped - was often the truth.

I remember being shouted down for statements such as "the virus is not an issue unless you're old or frail" or "locking everybody down is a total overreaction to a new seasonal flu"

[Digga]

Countdown said:

Digga said:

Even on here, people were calling others ‘anti-vax loons’ for having any alternative views. .

having an "alternative view" doesn't stop you from also being an "anti vax loon". It depends on what the alternative view is.

You illustrate my point well.

[BikeBikeBIke]

steveatesh said:

Can’t see that this one has been previously posted but article in the Telegraph on Friday claiming the above.

“ A secretive government unit worked with social media companies in an attempt to curtail discussion of controversial lockdown policies during the pandemic, The Telegraph can reveal”

Astonishing if true, and shows the extent the public information space can be manipulated and controlled even here.
https://archive.ph/CR4X3

70 million people in a democracy were literally put under house arrest for 7 weeks. Manipulation of social media is the least of our worries.

(I'm not saying it was wrong, but it did happen.)

[sugerbear]

BikeBikeBIke said:

steveatesh said:

Can’t see that this one has been previously posted but article in the Telegraph on Friday claiming the above.

“ A secretive government unit worked with social media companies in an attempt to curtail discussion of controversial lockdown policies during the pandemic, The Telegraph can reveal”

Astonishing if true, and shows the extent the public information space can be manipulated and controlled even here.
https://archive.ph/CR4X3

70 million people in a democracy were literally put under house arrest for 7 weeks. Manipulation of social media is the least of our worries.

(I'm not saying it was wrong, but it did happen.)

I managed to slip my captors and go for a long walk almost every day whilst evading the various patrols (that didn't exist) plus I could ring anyone I wanted and use one of the many video messaging apps to contact anyone I wanted as well. Weird form of house arrest.

[grumbledoak]

sugerbear said:

I managed to slip my captors and go for a long walk almost every day whilst evading the various patrols (that didn't exist) plus I could ring anyone I wanted and use one of the many video messaging apps to contact anyone I wanted as well. Weird form of house arrest.

You are splitting hairs over how severe or effective the mass house arrest was.

[iphonedyou]

grumbledoak said:

You are splitting hairs over how severe or effective the mass house arrest was.

Surely he's pointing out that it wasn't house arrest.

[oyster]

BikeBikeBIke said:

70 million people in a democracy were literally put under house arrest for 7 weeks. Manipulation of social media is the least of our worries.

(I'm not saying it was wrong, but it did happen.)

Long walks on the North Downs, bike rides, no traffic jams, no commute, daily barbecues, family time quadrupled. For 7 weeks?

[Digga]

oyster said:

BikeBikeBIke said:

70 million people in a democracy were literally put under house arrest for 7 weeks. Manipulation of social media is the least of our worries.

(I'm not saying it was wrong, but it did happen.)

Long walks on the North Downs, bike rides, no traffic jams, no commute, daily barbecues, family time quadrupled. For 7 weeks?

IIRC "we" were told, under fairly strict terms, to only go out of the house once a day during a certain period.

[JagLover]

Digga said:

IIRC "we" were told, under fairly strict terms, to only go out of the house once a day during a certain period.

The guidance was also not to travel long distances from your home.

[Lotobear]

If this had been a personal relationship, HMG would have been guilty of coercive behaviour. It beggars belief that this happened, I still feel as if it was some sort of bad dream.

More depressing is the number of people who still to this day think it was 'okay' and that we should just move on

"this is not a request, this is an Instruction"