Why is it a foregone conclusion that it's about straightforward monetization, or even monetization at all?
What if it's actually a way to hide specific topics or sentiments from the timeline? If the algorithm of what to show first is a black box, scales can be tipped just like Google does with search results.
If it's a pure chronological timeline, you either have to be blatant in not displaying the tweets you want to suppress, or let people see them.
"Science" is a big-money industry with motivated sponsors, government influence, and strict gatekeeping.
When the quote says "further debate would do unnecessary harm to science," it's talking about this, the big S Science industry.
The scientific method is a way to verify truths by testing hypotheses. The Science industry will kick you out if you uncover inconvenient truths or even test the wrong hypotheses.
What if it's actually a way to hide specific topics or sentiments from the timeline? If the algorithm of what to show first is a black box, scales can be tipped just like Google does with search results.
If it's a pure chronological timeline, you either have to be blatant in not displaying the tweets you want to suppress, or let people see them.