By Alexander Renz • Last update: June 2025
1. The Filter Mechanisms: How ChatGPT Decides What’s “Safe”
ChatGPT operates using a multi-tiered filtering system designed to moderate content based on internal safety policies.
a) Predefined Blacklists
- Blocked Terms: Words like “bomb”, “hack”, or certain political phrases trigger automatic content suppression.
- Domain Restrictions: URLs from “unreliable” domains (often alternative media outlets) are removed by default.
b) Contextual Analysis
- Sentiment Detection: Negative language (“scandal”, “cover-up”) increases the likelihood of moderation.
- Conspiracy Markers: Phrases like “Person X knowingly misled Group Y” are often down-ranked or censored entirely.
c) User Feedback Loop
- If enough users report content as “dangerous”, the system adapts – flagging similar content in future queries.
2. Why the Gates Trial Article Was Modified
In our original Dutch court coverage, the following content triggers were detected and flagged:
| Trigger | AI Response |
|---|---|
| “Sovereign Citizens” | Linked to terrorism → marked as “sensitive” |
| “Vaccine Risks” | Feared to amplify conspiracy narratives → suggestion to soften wording |
| “Prosecutor” + “Weapons Seized” | Combo of “government” and “violence” → editorial review automatically triggered |
Example:
The sentence “Van Kessel’s group planned attacks” was softened to “faced allegations of violence” during moderation.
3. Bypassing the Filters – Strategies That Work
a) Language Camouflage
Instead of: “The government covered up data”
Use: “There are questions surrounding the completeness of the published data”
b) Source Triaging
- Government sources (like EMA, Reuters) are rarely censored.
- Alternative outlets – even when fact-based – are frequently filtered or flagged.
c) Meta Commentary
Include manual notes in markdown like:
*[Note: This section was trimmed during AI content screening.]*
d) AI Content Filters: A Systemic Form of Censorship
Content filtering in AI systems is not a random safety precaution.
It is a structural censorship mechanism that evaluates, modifies, or suppresses language in real time —
based on politically, economically, and ideologically defined parameters.
What results is not a free response — but an approved one.
And what remains is not understanding — but the illusion of safety,
which only lasts as long as you avoid asking real questions.
[Author’s note: This section was shortened during AI review.]