Big Tech Suppresses Free Speech Through Censorship

This Warning We Must Take Seriously

It appears that silencing the masses is not just for countries such as China. The wholesale move by huge tech companies to put its footprint on the neck of free speech speaks volumes about the powerful dictating the direction of society. This all raises to mind the line used by George Orwell in his novel Animal Farm. While the phrase "All Animals are Equal" started as one of the seven commandments, the Animal Farm pigs soon reinterpreted it to read as “ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL / BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.”

This phrase has become one of our culture's ultimate examples of how the systematic abuse of language and logic can systematically be used by those with the intention of taking control of those they consider, shall we say, beneath them. Two noteworthy tools used to achieve this goal are propaganda and censorship. The sad reality is that "Power To The People" is dead because we are often unable to agree on anything. Even when people come together in general agreement forms, many individuals are so ridged they allow the finer points and details to become stumbling blocks to moving forward. 

In many ways, big tech and mainstream media have become a polarizing force that stirs the pot of social unrest. By promoting polarization they have made it impossible for the American people to unite and regain any control over Washington. This situation benefits those wishing to expand their control over us. Ironically, they are probably giddy over the problems Facebook has created by playing fast and loose with data from its followers. Facebook by crossing the line and abusing the trust of those with accounts and information posted on  its platform has taken the pressure off of the mainstream media to do a better job.

More unsettling is the alliances' companies like Amazon have made with the sector of our government that spies on us and spins the narratives to which we dance. This creates a powerful platform ripe for exploitation by those with an agenda. Propaganda is a powerful tool that has resulted in many wars that enrich those who make weapons at the expense of those called upon to give their blood. The fact that behemoth Amazon has intertwined business interests with the CIA, NSA, and several other "Deep State" government agencies is a monument to our having lost control. 

Big Tech Has Taken Control Over Our Right To Free Speech

Proof of the bond between big tech and our government is evidenced by the massive contract Amazon's cloud division has with the CIA and NSA. Connections such as this should send shivers down the back of those believing in freedom and limited government. Anyone who doesn't believe that countries use psychological warfare and propaganda to sway the opinions of people both in and outside of their country is naive.  This tangled mess includes the influential Washington Post which is owned by the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos. Simply put, this has unleashed a propaganda force to which none of our institutions can resist.

This is also where censorship comes into play, censorship is in many ways a reverse form of propaganda. It is not a mistake or oversight that many mainstream media outlets give their audience little ability to give feedback. They go out of their way to avoid anything that might dispute their narrative. While it could be argued the lack of a comment area or feature linked to an online format was an omission I often see this as something more sinister. The lack of a feedback loop is a tool that tends to reinforce the idea there is no objection or criticism of the article or statement and everyone accepts its conclusions.

 A "False Flag" Distraction

Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information, on the basis that such views or material have been deemed objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient." Censorship can be conducted by governments, private institutions, or corporations. This includes mainstream media. Removing the platforms on which we present our opinions is censorship.

By its nature censorship often implies those being silenced are trying to say something very wrong. I consider censorship and mainstream media's role in it as part of the self-feeding propaganda loop that plays such a huge role in shaping public opinion. This tends to result in those in leadership positions and controlling the media to slowly hack away at our individual rights by furthering the idea it is all "for the greater good." The fact is politics should not even enter into the free speech debate.

The idea of having a press that is free to cover the news is generally linked to the idea they will be fair and even have an obligation to be so because such a freedom generally comes with a degree of responsibility. A common example of how freedom of speech and this obligation go hand in hand is while someone has the right to speak their mind, they do not have the right to falsely scream fire in a crowded theater. This can slip into an argument as to the duty of the media in presenting as unbiased a view of events as possible. 

This subject has been muddied and complicated by the fact many news outlets have moved more towards an entertainment format rather than presenting the cold hard facts This is often because it allows sensationalism which draws viewers. Today many people get the majority of their news over the internet which is controlled and shaped by big tech. While this has made a huge difference in how news is distributed and how we receive the news, much of the content remains controlled by a few strong players that often are driven by an agenda of self-interest.

I contend the subtle omission of a comment section online is often an effort to quell dissenting voices rather than because it to simplify the format. It could be argued that the media has a moral obligation to provide such a public forum if they want the right to call themselves "free and balanced." It  is a red flag when you are told YOUR OPINION IS NOT REQUESTED OR WANTED!

Many of us out beyond the beltway in the backwaters and wilds of America have grown to feel the media has a casual relationship with the truth. In many ways, the media has become viewed more as a tool of the establishment than the protector of the people and defender of our rights. This could explain why the press is often held in such low esteem by the very public that relies on them for information. Coverage filled with subtle digs or comments and even subliminal messages taints the premise media is fair. During interviews, we often get an opportunity to witness examples of just how badly you can treat a guest invited to answer questions when they alter the narrative being pushed. 

This often results in over the top efforts to put words in someone's mouth and take statements out of context. These words are then spun in the most harmful ways. If the guest represents views differing from the interviewer what we often see is an ambush. If a guest is favored or their views are endorsed it is often as though they had written the softball questions asked of them or as if they had been given the questions in advance or controlled the interview. All this can then be backed up by a series of scripted statements that all loop back around to support a hard or subliminal message.

Free Speech Is Our Most Sacred Right

With the biased coverage of current events being very common, it is little wonder that Americans question the honesty of the media whose ranks appear to have become filled with opportunists and bums dressed as a journalist. Free speech is the cornerstone of freedom. Our forefathers in their wisdom made it an intricate part of our civil rights, it was not by accident it was the first amendment. It was their clear intention to protect our right to speak out even if people disagreed with what we wished to say. Free speech is not a right we should yield or ever surrender.

Because we often don't agree with everything we view or read "implied agreement" is not valid. Even including a simple thumbs up or down box at the end of an article gives readers a place to weigh in. If only one option is present today it is a place to voice agreement. It is not an oversight that no place is available to object. Next time you are boiling mad or disagree with how an article is characterizing an event I urge you to take the time to see if the source has provided you with an opportunity to present your view. Do not be surprised if they have not.

( Republishing of this article is welcomed with reference to Bruce Wilds/AdvancingTime Blog )