It is sad that everyone, including those who consider themselves to be
Progressive, and their institutions like Democracy Now, all use Facebook.
Truthdig uses it. It is seen as just another way to reach people. But it is
more dangerous than that. Its purpose is not to increase communication, but
to sell information about its subscribers. And for those who are horrified
by its use by Cambridge Analytica, the Obama campaign did precisely the same
thing in 2008 and was praised for its innovation. And, of course, much of
the data was given, rather than sold, to the campaign, because Facebook
employees were Obama supporters.
Miriam
Facebook Deletes Gaza-Based News Agency Safa's Account Hosting 1.3 Million
Followers
By teleSUR
27 March 18
According to a Palestinian activist, this year alone 500 pages of
Palestinian journalists, activists and bloggers have been deleted.
Facebook deleted account of Gaza-based Palestinian news agency Safa as part
of a pro-Israeli policy to block and delete users accounts considered
"inciteful." The agency is allegedly affiliated to the Palestinian political
party Hamas; a claim Safa denies.
Safa's account was disabled along with the accounts of 10 of its editors
Saturday, after 5 p.m local time. The agency's social media manager, who is
keeping his identity secret, told the Jerusalem Post "We were totally
surprised." The news agency didn't receive a warning or an explanation.
"We are now working to restore the account because 60 percent of the
website's traffic comes through Facebook," the social media manager said. A
reminder of Facebook's growing power in limiting or facilitating access to
information.
After the page was deleted, journalists rallied Saturday outside Safa's
headquarters in Gaza to reject Facebook 's move, arguing the news agency had
garnered 1.3 million followers who rely on it for news information.
The agency responded to the measure by urging Facebook to fulfill their
stated goal "to allow people to express their standpoints so that the world
is more open and pluralistic."
Activists have launched a campaign titled "Facebook is fighting Palestine,"
which is calling for a boycott of the social media company. According to
them, Facebook has proven their bias because while they delete and block
Palestinian Facebook accounts, citing incitement, they have failed to do the
same to Israeli accounts that openly call for violence and produce
derogatory and discriminatory content against Palestinians.
According to a Palestinian activist quoted by Israeli newspaper Haaretz,
since the beginning of 2018 roughly 500 Facebook pages of Palestinian
activists, journalists and bloggers who cover the news in the occupied
territories have been shut down by the social media company.
Clearly violent and inciteful comments on the social media website have in
fact come from Israeli officials themselves and an action against them has
yet to be taken by the company.
Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked has praised Facebook on its
censorship policies when it comes to incitement despite the fact that she
has been shown to carry out the same practice herself.
"They are all enemy combatants, and their blood shall be on all their heads.
Now this also includes the mothers of the martyrs, who send them to hell
with flowers and kisses," Shaked once wrote on her Facebook account.
"They should follow their sons, nothing would be more just. They should go,
as should the physical homes in which they raised the snakes. Otherwise,
more little snakes will be raised there."
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