Twitter Explodes With Memes And Discussions On 'Ministry Of Truth' After Biden Administration Announces 'Disinformation Governance Board'

Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, announced in a Congressional hearing yesterday the formation of a Disinformation Governance Board meant to monitor and prevent the spread of disinformation online — with Nina Jankowicz as executive director of the board.

Critics, including many in conservative circles, rapidly dubbed the new board a “Ministry of Truth” in a reference to George Orwell’s famous novel 1984.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and gently suggest that having a Disinformation Governance Board operating out of the Department of Homeland Security is not exactly a reassuring thought

— Shadi Hamid (@shadihamid) April 28, 2022

“You guys need to chill… 1984 was supposed to be a warning, not an instruction manual” -- George Orwell, probably #MinistryOfTruth pic.twitter.com/qKZn3BrdaM

— Dan (@ihadtodoittoem0) April 28, 2022

Based on publicly released information, the board’s first priority will be to combat disinformation from abroad, specifically at the southern border, such as false rumors about the U.S. border being open that circulated on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook that have helped to cause surges of migrants in the past. People from places like Haiti have traveled to the southern border after being misled by smugglers posting online that the United States would let them enter the country. Another stated objective of the Disinformation Governance Board is to counter a possible Russian cyberattack in the upcoming 2022 or 2024 elections.

Biden’s “Disinformation Governance Board” is a real-world Ministry of Truth.

A conservative movement that doesn’t fight this with everything it has isn’t worthy of the name. Or the name American.

— Megan Basham (@megbasham) April 28, 2022

The hashtag "#ministryoftruth" trended broadly across Twitter on Wednesday and Thursday, but picked up even more steam following a Tucker Carlson segment last night, in which he criticized U.S. aid to “the neoliberal government of Ukraine,” played clips from Mayorkas’ testimony and shared a TikTok made by Nina Jankowicz. Many of the memes about the Ministry of Truth were centered around Jankowicz herself.

This is the new Biden administration head of Ministry of Truth, Nina Jankowicz. She is in charge of what’s truth and fiction in America. Every time you think the Biden administration can’t get more ridiculous, they do: pic.twitter.com/SKCaLafDzv

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) April 29, 2022

So basically you have to be a certified psychopath to work for the Biden Administration#MinistryOfTruth 👇 pic.twitter.com/ee5KoMw9RW

— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) April 29, 2022

Stop focusing on the weirdo in charge of the Ministry of Truth, and focus on the illegality of the Ministry itself.

Our Constitution specifically prohibits weaponizing federal law enforcement to crush dissenting speech.

— John 1776 Cardillo (@johncardillo) April 29, 2022

Many also linked the creation of the Disinformation Governance Board to Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter, with some Republicans arguing that Democrats are afraid of what the oligarch will do to deregulate speech on the social media platform.

Elon Musk, who has discussed “free speech” as a potential reason for his purchase of Twitter, has yet to comment on the Ministry of Truth. But, in a purportedly radical centrist turn, he has shared memes and tweets suggesting that while he thinks the left has gone too far, he is also “no fan of the far-right” and wants “less hate and more love.” Musk has also said free speech for him is “that which matches the law” (presumably federal American law) but has not gone into depth about how he interprets the law or if/how he plans to apply it.

"Ministry of Truth" is trending because Biden admin appointed a radical leftist to run a censorship board in the Department of Homeland Security a few days after ElonMusk</a> purchase of <a href="https://twitter.com/Twitter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Twitter announced.

— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) April 28, 2022

By “free speech”, I simply mean that which matches the law.

I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law.

If people want less free speech, they will ask government to pass laws to that effect.

Therefore, going beyond the law is contrary to the will of the people.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 26, 2022

The Ministry of Truth story circulated heavily in right-wing circles, with Fox News even publishing an editorial asking why less conservative outlets weren’t covering the news. Republican politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) also made comments and promised action against the board.

The Biden Administration’s creation of a “disinformation” bureau within DHS is effectively a Ministry of Truth that is alien to our constitutional tradition.

Florida rejects Biden’s attempt to enforce regime-approved narratives and to stifle dissent. pic.twitter.com/fSnU2gk97x

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 29, 2022

I don’t think people are fully understanding the severity of what a Ministry of Truth organized by DHS truly means.

This is Stalin level.

This is Mao level.

This is the hill to die on.

— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) April 29, 2022

The memes about the Ministry of Truth continued to roll in, as many right-leaning users across social media expressed concern about “free speech,” fearing the disinformation board might censor their speech. Striking the balance between national security concerns and individual liberties has been an issue in American politics for centuries, and the disinformation board seems to be another chapter in this long discussion.

Will Biden's Ministry Of Truth ban memes as well? pic.twitter.com/eePzTj9DNP

— Liberals_R_Idiots_Notta Democrat 🇺🇲 (@Notta_Democrat) April 29, 2022

The US Government is literally setting up a Ministry of Truth.
There is no gray area here. This isn’t a private or quasi private company making its own decision, this is the government stepping in to censor speech. This is blatant fascism.
FIGHT IT! pic.twitter.com/CzR3Xjr8kH

— Reed Coverdale, Extremist (@Reed_Coverdale) April 27, 2022