I'm seeing notices on Twitter that indicate both Twitter and Facebook are censoring both @OccupyWallStNYC and other #occupywallstreet posts and photos.
Sigh.
The social media have been crucial for the success -- or at least progress -- of the many other occupation and revolutionary movements elsewhere, and governments did their best to interfere with social networking Over There.
In this country, there is a decreasing difference between the Government and the Corporate interests that sponsor and to a large degree control it, including the corporations that own and control the social media. Like Twitter. Like Facebook. And the others.
A question that is going to come up -- because there is no way to avoid it -- is whether #occupywallstreet and all its many offshoots is some kind of black op.
I sure hope not. So far, I don't see any sign that it is. But our Rulers don't have the best reputation for, shall we say, disinterest in popular movements.
Harrumph.
The social media have been crucial for the success -- or at least progress -- of the many other occupation and revolutionary movements elsewhere, and governments did their best to interfere with social networking Over There.
ReplyDeleteSponsoring tumults in countries you disfavor is as old as the Peloponnesian War, it's just that modern telecommunications make it easy to directly assist a tumult in Country B without leaving the comfort of Country A. (Though it would surely be a much more hazardous game to play without hegemonic military power as a backstop -- the threat of having the tables turned surely seems less menacing if you believe you can safely bomb any server farm on the planet.)
The idea that one could actually use Country A's social networking sites to mount a revolt against Country A's own government, on the other hand, was gonzo from the start. These companies do not float in some sort of digital aether independent of Earthly sate power any more than credit card companies do.
"Earthly state power"
ReplyDeleteInteresting....
ReplyDelete