Threads blocks links to supposedly leaked documents about JD Vance

• Threads blocked links to an article that may contain links to leaked documents about JD Vance.
• X had already blocked links to the same article earlier this week.
• Meta told BI that its policy “does not allow content from hacked sources.”

Threads is following X’s lead and blocking links to supposedly leaked documents about vice presidential candidate JD Vance.

Meta says the links could come from hacked or leaked sources – and is blocking them because of the possible connection. The FBI and other intelligence agencies warned last month that Iranian-backed hackers had tried to obtain information from the Trump campaign.

Since then, allegedly hacked documents have been circulating in various media outlets, and although the existence of these documents was reported, almost all media outlets refused to publish the details because they may have been obtained through illegal means.

However, independent journalist Ken Klippenstein published the trove of documents on his Substack on Thursday. His account on X was quickly suspended and some users said their accounts were suspended after the link was posted.

Threads now also blocks links to the post.

A spokesperson for Meta told Business Insider: “Our policies do not allow content from hacked sources or content leaked as part of a foreign government operation to influence US elections. We will block the sharing of such materials on our apps in accordance with our community standards.”

Thread posts that contain a link to Klippenstein’s Substack article will not be removed, but the link cannot be clicked. Instead, you’ll see a popup saying, “This link cannot be opened from threads. It could contain malicious content or be used to steal personal information.”

In a follow-up article, Klippenstein pointed out that he thought it was ironic that the platform was something the new owner wanted to change.

Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg recently declared that he is consciously withdrawing from US politics and participation in the presidential elections. In a recent letter to US Senator Jim Jordan, he wrote that he regretted that Meta had made moderation concessions on Covid under pressure from the government.