X, formerly known as Twitter, began to censor posts from the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) last week for exposing some of the content the American Library Association (ALA) and local libraries around the country promote to children.
On Sunday, AAF explained in a Substack newsletter that Elon Musk’s online platform slapped a “sensitive content” warning on “ALL OUR SOCIAL POSTS.” The AAF Twitter account has also been shadowbanned “so that you won’t find us in a search on X.”
In July, the conservative opposition research group published a long and damning thread — which doesn’t even show any pornographic imagery or explicit book excerpts — chronicling the far-left activism of the ALA under its new leadership. Now the whole account is blocked as “sensitive content” unless users have chosen to display sensitive material through their personal settings.
Posts are hidden entirely from internet users not signed in to X.
“Under these rules, you’ll probably find more adult content at the kids’ library than on Twitter,” AAF spokesman Yitz Friedman told The Federalist.
Parents from Georgia to Alaska have similarly been shut down at school board meetings for being too vulgar when they read straight from the books available to their children.
In April last year, the ALA elected a self-professed “Marxist lesbian” to lead the organization, which is responsible for coordinating programs for local libraries across the country. One year later, the Daily Signal reported on a list of 13 books the association recommended as the most “challenged” in the current educational environment, blaming anti-LGBT prejudice.
“It’s time to take action on behalf of authors, library staff, and the communities they serve. ALA calls on readers everywhere to show your commitment to the freedom to read by doing something to protect it,” the ALA announced when it released the list. All the books on the list, however, feature sexually explicit material, some of which is pornographic.
The ALA’s radical activism provoked a movement from conservative state lawmakers, who cut ties between their constituent library commissions and the national association. Missouri Republican Secretary of State John Ashcroft led the movement to disassociate from the umbrella organization with a letter in July. The Montana State Library Commission shortly followed suit. Texas was the latest state to sever ties with the ALA after the Texas State Library and Archives Commission faced pressure from GOP state Rep. Brian Harrison. Lawmakers in at least seven more states have signaled preparations to do the same.
In August, the leaders of 13 conservative groups penned a joint statement demanding federal, state, and local leaders work to strip the ALA of government support and influence.
“The ALA’s ceaseless promotion of obscene materials targeted at children could run afoul of numerous state and federal laws that protect against the proliferation of harmful materials to minors,” they wrote.
The World Library Association (WLA) popped up in July as an alternative to counter the ALA. “The WLA will foster safe environments for librarians, curate valuable reading materials for children, and maintain a public space that promotes information literacy and political neutrality,” read an organization press release.
The group has also pledged resources to help “stand with parents in legal battles for defending their children in school libraries,” featuring “financial support and active assistance.”
