As Twitchy reported Tuesday evening, presidential candidate Nikki Haley stuck her five-inch heel in her mouth when she declared that "every person on social media should be verified by their name." Haley said it was a "national security" issue. That alone probably cost her the votes of the very online Americans, many of whom are only allowed to speak freely because they can be anonymous online.
On Wednesday, the Haley campaign issued a statement walking that policy back a little, affirming that "Americans have a right to free speech, including having anonymous accounts on social media." Her problem is with foreign nations like China and Iran having a presence on social media.
NEW: @NikkiHaley campaign tells me she believes “Americans have a right to free speech including having anonymous accounts on social media”
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) November 15, 2023
She doesn’t support letting foreign bad actors “create anonymous accounts to spread chaos and anti-American filth among our people.”
Full: pic.twitter.com/8FOT3TjpmI
It's nice that a GOP candidate for president believes Americans have the right to free speech.
She's imploding.
— JWF (@JammieWF) November 15, 2023
Did you ask how she would determine the nationality or location of an ANONYMOUS user?
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) November 15, 2023
Would she ban VPNs too?
NEW: @NikkiHaley campaign tells us all a different re-massaged lie to cover for the accidental exposure of her tyrannical agenda that would destroy free speech in America.
— Sentinel 🇺🇸 Christian. Wife. Mom. Pediatrician. (@Act_Forward) November 15, 2023
🤢🤢🤢
The desperation is palpable and sad.
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That’s not what Nikki Haley said yesterday or this morning even
— RestoreSanity2024 (@RestoreSantity) November 15, 2023
That is not at all what she said. She said people would be more polite if they had to use their name on social media. Sorry Nikki, you can’t backtrack on what we all heard.
— Sara Higdon (@SaraHigdon_) November 15, 2023
That's the exact opposite of what she said yesterday.
— Peter Henlein (@SwissWatchGuy) November 15, 2023
"She doesn’t support letting foreign bad actors “create anonymous accounts to spread chaos and anti-American filth among our people."
— IKET is perpetually annoyed (@IKantEvenToday) November 15, 2023
And how would she stop that? By forcing social media companies to get everyone's information? Make lists?
Nikki seems bad at "clarifying"
Democrat election deniers still believe that Russian Facebook posts threw the election to Donald Trump.
So what type of identification do I have to provide to prove I’m an American citizen? How will I remain anonymous if I have to provide documentation that I’m an American?
— Jodie (@Jodie8673190700) November 15, 2023
Too late. RIP
— Stuffed Shirt (@MetabonkNFT) November 15, 2023
Yeah, this is definitely too little, too late. The citizens of X are perfectly capable of weeding out "foreign bad actors" themselves. We have no idea how Haley would even implement her idea — she doesn't either.
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