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My recent bout of censorship at the hands of Facebook and Twitter has taught me (at least) one thing. Social media began, at least in the utopian mind of its early enthusiasts, as a way to democratize and decentralize power. It offered everyone, rich or poor, a voice. Everyone could rise if their content was interesting and useful enough to the audience. It was the ultimate meritocracy. You didn’t need to be a multinationals corporation. You didn’t need a massive infrastructure investment. All you needed was an account and a computer.

However, these platforms have devolved into something else. I’m not talking about the garbage, fake news, etc. that drenches our timelines. Rather, Twitter, Facebook and Google have become extensions of state power. In many cases, they are agents of the state implementing its decisions, and collaborators in implementing its oppressions against citizens.

They have become Thought Police, enforcing the rules devised by states to control thought, debate and media within their borders. Isn’t it ironic that we once celebrated the internet as a transnational entity, that would vanquish borders, narrow nationalism and parochialism. That it would free the world and people’s minds to transcend the narrow scope of what they (thought they) knew before.

We’ve now come to see how many ways states can manipulate social media to sabotage their enemies. A perfect case in point is Russia’s successful campaign to put Trump in the White House. Similar campaigns by Russia favored Brexit and generally sowing discord in the west, whenever an opening presented itself.

The former managing editor of Snopes, the online fact-checking site which had a partnership with Facebook to expose fake news, is even more scabrous in her characterization

Binkowski, who previously reported on immigration and refugees, said Facebook largely ignored her: “I strongly believe that they are spreading fake news on behalf of hostile foreign powers and authoritarian governments as part of their business model.”

I n my case, Facebook and Twitter, which are supposed to transcend borders, have become agents of the states in which they do business. Take the Israeli state. The Israeli military censor desperately sought to suppress the n my case, Facebook and Twitter, which are supposed to transcend borders, have become agents of the states in which they do business. Take the Israeli state. The Israeli military censor desperately sought to suppress the images of its commandos who invaded Gaza (interestingly, it cared less that I violated military censorship in naming the commando who died, Lt. Col. Mahmoud Kheireddine ). In doing so, it persuaded social media executives that exposing the identities of these Gaza invaders was a form of incitement or harassment against them. Thus, the killers became the victims.

The notion that an Israeli Special Forces team which invades a foreign state, kills citizens of that state, and then almost starts a full-scale war–that these soldiers need protection is ludicrous and offensive. What about the Gazans who need protection from these regular invasions of their sovereignty? What about their dead? What is worse, the exposure of these eight commandos or the IDF’s massive assaults against Gaza?

Why do social media companies need to take directives from the Israeli government and its Lobby? Why do they choose to accede to their demands while dishonoring their users, who bring in the massive amounts of revenue that fuel their extraordinary growth?

If these companies had evolved along the trajectory which appeared set for them in the beginning, they would rigorously stand up for the rights of their users. They would protect their right to free speech on their platforms. When such speech is threatened by outside forces, they would advocate on behalf of the victims. But where did this value go? Why have they forgotten the user?

This particular user believes in fighting back. Thanks to Dennis Bernstein of KPFA’s Flashpoint, who interviewed me (audio stream) for 30 minutes on his daily show. I outlined the broad issues of the Gaza raid itself and the censorship issues, while also talking about Jared Kushner, the Deal of the Century, and NSO Group’s role in the Khashoggi murder. There were a few phone difficulties initially, so the interview beings at around minute 2:00 and goes through around minute 30:00.

This may be part of the overall crisis especially afflicting Facebook, and to a lesser extent Twitter. Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg have grown stale as they’ve aged. The more we see and hear them the less we like them. We thought that even if they might not be angels, at least their product was powerful and useful. But now we see that their desperate attempts to protect their personal reputations have irreparably harmed the product itself. They lie with a straight face–and to Congress no less, where perjury is a crime.

How else can you explain this message sent to me by a member of the Facebook press team in response to my protest against the 24 hour suspension imposed on me:

…We are committed to protecting the rights of the people who use Facebook, and to enabling people to express themselves freely and safely. Our Community Standards, which outline what is and isn’t allowed on Facebook, seek to encourage expression and create a safe community on the platform. We will remove content that violates these standards when we are made aware of it, including content that violates our policies for identifying law enforcement personnel who are undercover. Facebook cares about the voices, opinion and rights of all the different communities on Facebook and we will protect and work with them all, whatever their race or religion. We are committed to protecting the rights of the people who use Facebook, and to enabling people to express themselves freely and safely. Thank you again,

Sarah

It is sheer nonsense in light of the way I was treated. It hasn’t “protected” my rights. It’s violated them (if users can be said to have any “rights” on that platform). It hasn’t enabled me to express myself freely. It’s squelched my ability to do so. I suppose that this sort of boilerplate is to be expected. But it still outrages.