20 January 2023
J Schofield
[FYI request #21370 email]
Ref: OIA-2022/23-0413
Dear J Schofield
Official Information Act request for communications with Twitter’s SRT-GET and SIP-
PES
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) of 9 December 2022.
You have requested:
1. I request all documents held that constitute communications between
the Prime Minister, other Ministers, or other NZ Government officials,
agencies or agents and; Twitter's Strategic Response Team - Global
Escalation Team (SRT-GET), and Twitter's Site Integrity Policy, Policy
Escalation Support (SIP-PES).
2. Please
consider
SRT-GET
and
SIP-PES
to
include
any
known/potential members of that team, and any high ranked
officials/employees at Twitter. Specifically but not exclusively this
includes Jack Dorsey, Vijaya Gadde, Yoel Roth, Parag Agrawal, as
identified as SIP-PES members by Ms Bari Weiss.
3. I seek any communications relating to requests by NZ govt persons or
entities and Twitter that seek to suppress or alter the dissemination of
any information tweeted by any person known or thought to be either
or both a New Zealand citizen/permanent resident and/or located
within New Zealand (incl any overseas territory/overseas NZ govt
controlled location).
4. I also request all documents held that may constitute similar
discussions or communications that may be of any international public
interest.
5. I also request all documents held that constitute any discussion of
suppression of any information whatsoever, between the same NZ
Govt persons and twitter-related persons.
6. I also request all documents held that constitute NZ-govt internal
policies or discussions relating to the suppression or algorithmic
alteration of the dissemination of information by Twitter, Facebook, and
Instagram.
I limit the period covered by this request to the period between 1
January 2019 and today's date (9 December 2022).
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4697846
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
Please reference the #TwitterFiles by journalists Matt Tiabbi and Bari
Weiss, brought to us by Twitter's new owner, notable gigachad Elon
Musk.
Specifically;
"12. The group that decided whether to limit the reach of certain users
was the Strategic Response Team - Global Escalation Team, or SRT-
GET. It often handled up to 200 "cases" a day.
13. But there existed a level beyond official ticketing, beyond the
rank-and-file moderators following the company’s policy on paper.
That is the “Site Integrity Policy, Policy Escalation Support,” known as
“SIP-PES.
14. This secret group included Head of Legal, Policy, and Trust
(Vijaya Gadde), the Global Head of Trust & Safety (Yoel Roth),
subsequent CEOs Jack Dorsey and Parag Agrawal, and others".
These tweets are available from this link –
www.twitter.com/bariweiss/status/1601007575633305600?s=20&t=W
cJ7Tf3x9l-nPdSwEOGK6g
”
On 22 December 2022, we wrote to you and advised that your request, as it is currently
framed, has not been specified with due particularity per section 12(2) of the OIA. We further
advised that we consider it reasonably necessary for your request to be clarified in order for
us to respond appropriately, and requested that you provide clarity and particularity on the
six points of your request.
On 27 December 2022, you responded and noted that you are confident that your request
meets the “due particularity” test.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) believes that parts 3, 5, and 6 of
your request are more closely connected to the functions of the Department of Internal Affairs
(DIA). Please note that we have also extended the 10 working day time-limit available to make
this transfer. This extension was required because of the consultations needed to make a
decision on your request.
Accordingly, I have decided under section 14(b)(ii) of the Act to transfer those parts of your
request, in full, to the DIA. The other parts of the request will remain with DPMC.
DIA has the usual timeframes under the Act from receipt of this transfer to make a decision on
your request.
Yours sincerely
Amy Teague
Manager Ministerial Services
4697846
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