Posted on 03/06/2018 6:38:30 AM PST by NOBO2012
If you’ve been paying attention you know that it’s #TransformationTuesday – the day we explore all the ways Obama and his mignons are still trying and/or succeeding in fundamentally transforming America. Many of these transformers are in government but the public sector harbors some as well: take Google for example. Long known as a bastion of leftist biases, censorship and abuse of it’s search engine monopoly it recently has used its power to shutdown YouTube videos (mostly conservative) that it doesn’t approve of.
“The Google Machine” and a handful of other high-tech companies rule the Internet through a combination of data mining (spying), misrepresentation of search results and censorship. They have become Orwellian.
Last week Breitbart highlighted the action taken by YouTube to silence non-progressive voices. Last summer Zero Hedge documented this dangerous trend:
Political totalitarianism is coming to America, and it is being ushered in not by government thugs in jackboots but by progressive activists and their allies in Silicon Valley.
A number of troubling actions by internet companies — Google most prominent among them — are making it increasingly clear that some in Silicon Valley have proclaimed themselves defenders of the progressive, politically correct faith, and that those firms will silence any and all heretics who challenge those beliefs.
"Silicon Valley lives in a politically regressive, exclusive bubble. They are not aware of their own biases in how they talk, have a limited understanding of the philosophy behind free speech, and find it difficult empathizing with other points of view," said Aaron Ginn, co-founder of the Lincoln Network, a think tank that seeks to promote libertarian ideas in the tech industry. – Zero Hedge
So today I’m the one transforming; although normally anti-regulation, I’ve transformed my positon with regards to Big Tech. We already have laws in place to provide for the regulation of public utility monopolies, and given that Big Techs are both a public utility and monopoly, by definition, I say subject them to the progressive model they love so much. Competition is the preferred method of managing any economic sector but until such time as there exists some de facto competition in this sector, like I said - I’m transforming.
So let them eat cake.
Posted from: MOTUS A.D.
There was a segment on Carlson show last night dealing with Praeger’s suit against Google for censoring conservative speech.
I really hate to tell folks this, but the only way you’re going to “stop Google” is to use the power of government to break its monopoly. This is anathema to many folks, but it’s really the only way.
Google (and other outlets that also have monopolies on the flow of information, like Youtube [owned by Google], Facebook, Twitter, etc.) need to be at least minimally regulated to bring them under the First Amendment.
Will many FReepers like this idea? No.
Will many FReepers haul out the tired argument of “it’s their private property, they can do what they want with it!” Yes.
But it’s bogus.
Let’s face it, Google is not “fixable” otherwise. Google is thoroughly, completely, 100% converged as an entity. They fired a guy for simply pointing out that men and women are different, for criminy’s sake.
Google, as well as the major social media outlets, have a monopoly on the flow of information in this country. This automatically places them outside the purview of protection by the “private property” argument.
Google can swing elections. Twitter can swing elections.
Why do you think that Twitter has been implementing such strict rules recently, and banning people on the Right? Why did Twitter ban Parkland survivor Colton Haab, who opposes gun control and was getting vocal about it?
It’s because social media has a massive impact on the narrative and the flow of information in this country, whether many FReepers like it or not. It’s not enough to simply sit there and “Huh huh, Twitterz fer reeeetardz.” It’s a viable medium, and it’s being used against the Right in this country.
Google controls what you see when you do searches.
Youtube controls what you see by censoring videos that go against the Left’s narrative.
Twitter played a great role in getting Trump elected b/c it allowed him to get around the MSM media blockade in 2016. That caught the lefties by surprise, but they have adapted their strategies, which is why they are now allowing the SPLC, the ADL, and the EU to dictate their censorship policies and ban conservatives.
It’s not simply a matter of “Well, go make your own platform!” The Left has controls in place to essentially prevent this from happening. You CAN’T simply “Go make another Google. Handing the internet over to the “international community” coupled with Google’s deeply-embedded public-private relationship with various alphabet agencies means that no competitor to Google will ever really get off the ground.
Google, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media outlets need to be treated as public utilities for the purposes of the First Amendment and brought under it’s purview. Your phone company isn’t allowed to deny you service even if you’re saying things or engaging in political activism that it would disagree with. there’s no reason that the holders of information monopoly should be allowed to either.
Agreements to restrict advertising
Truthful advertising is important in a free market system because it helps consumers compare the price and quality of products offered by competing suppliers. The FTC Act itself prohibits advertising that is false or deceptive, and the FTC vigorously enforces this standard to empower consumers to make choices in the marketplace. Competitor restrictions on the amount or content of advertising that is truthful and not deceptive may be illegal if evidence shows the restrictions have anticompetitive effects and lack reasonable business justifications.
Example: The FTC challenged a professional code adopted by a national association of arbitrators that banned virtually all forms of advertising and soliciting clients. In a consent agreement with that organization, the rules were changed so that individual members were not barred from advertising truthful information about their prices and services.
The ‘media’ IS the DEEP STATE.
GOOLAG (GULAG) machine ALERT!
Thanks!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
