Many thousands of people in the United States of America are actively sharing posts that deny the truth of a mass killing of children at a school in Florida. (February 2018 – seventeen(17) children were killed by a classmate, Nikolas Cruz) and hundreds of thousands of people may now believe that this factual tragedy was staged by the US government.
Recently, the US alleged that Russia interfered in the US presidential election and the outcome thereof in much the same way that the same platforms are now being used to promote the views of certain sectors of American society.
Some of the huge American companies that operate the Internet (Google, Facebook, etc) are now employing thousands of extra (American) “editors” to remove fake news from media feeds. So, as a defense against what the companies perceive as an abuse of their platforms, content is being deleted and users banned.
Of concern is not so much the obvious spread of fake news, fake information and falsehoods but that American companies (whom are commercial and “for profit” monopolies) decides what is news, what is fake and what is not. The same companies also decides who may say what and who may not say anything.
Internet freedom is on a declining curve, as it has been for the past decade and if the same trends continue, not even independent countries will be able to stave off an attack from anywhere or anyone that has resources. At risk right now are individuals and companies, tomorrow the narrative will be different.
Unfortunately society does not really care about freedom as much as the perception of freedom. In the perception of convenience and in the perception of real communication, freedom itself, is fake news.
Can you live without your “free” social media accounts?
Social media is addictive, like cigarettes. Even considering that social media is bad for children, you still need your fix and you will come back for more.
Social media owns your ass.
