Microsoft has nixed its “negative flags” for conservative news sources placed onto a “secret blacklist,” blocking them from securing essential advertising money, the Washington Examiner reported.
The revelations by the Examiner came as a part of an exclusive investigative series the outlet launched pertaining to so-called ‘disinformation’ tracking groups that have been working behind the scenes to blacklist and defund various conservative media outlets. Internal data revealed that Microsoft is canceling its payments for a tracking group dedicated to taking money away from those practicing what it considers “disfavored speech.”
Microsoft-owned advertising company Xandr followed a “secret blacklist” of conservative news arranged by the Global Disinformation Index, a British organization with two affiliated U.S. nonprofits, the Examiner reports.
Since then, Microsoft appears to be bringing its work with GDI to an end; the tech company has gotten rid of labels such as “false/misleading” and “reprehensible/offensive” for right-leaning websites, the Examiner reported, citing the internal data it obtained.
“I just checked in Xandr’s platform again and can confirm that all rejection flags have been removed from domains,” an anonymous executive in the ad industry told the Examiner.
Xandr had deemed 39 conservative outlets as “false/misleading,” including Newsmax, the Daily Wire, RealClearPolitics, Drudge Report, Breitbart, the Blaze, the Washington Times, Judicial Watch, the Media Research Center affiliate MRC.TV, as well as The Examiner itself.
It is no secret that Microsoft has towed leftist lines before. Unlike its work with GDI, the large tech company has pushed various far-left initiatives in public.
A blatant example of such activism was seen during Microsoft’s 2021 Ignite conference, when senior program manager Allison Weins described herself as “an Asian white female, with dark brown hair, wearing a red sleeveless top.”
Weins kicked off the conference by stating she would like to “acknowledge the land” Microsoft is located at, noting that it was “traditionally occupied by Sammamish, the Duwasmish, the Snoqualmie, the Muckleshoot, the Snohomish, the Tulalip, and other Coast Salish peoples since time immemorial.”
She added, “A people that are still here, continuing to honor and to bring to light their ancient heritage.”
Microsoft goes full woke. pic.twitter.com/biIxhVWMHi
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) November 4, 2021
