29 Comments
Jan 24, 2022·edited Jan 24, 2022

One of the most chilling things my blue check family-member said to me is, "The Internet is a cesspool!" It's no great stretch to see the same logic applied to a library or to a bookstore, yet I'm certain he still considers himself as upholding the best liberal ideals of decency and fair-play. Such is the power of propaganda.

Of course, this disappearing act is nothing new. It's been going on for years for those of us who criticize Israel's apartheid government.

Expand full comment

Dumpster Juice - a much more accurate description.

Expand full comment

The notion, that we've seen this escalate in intentionally obvious steps: David Brock's Correct The Record (blacklisted journalists, trolled blogs, incarcerated whistleblowers). Then Bezos' WaPo (Ukraine nazi, CAP & Atlantic Council) Prop'RNot neo-McCarthyite meets Google/ YouTube, Twitter & FaceBook SEO-ing nascent FACT down the memory hole, on OUR internet. We were RooskiBot BernieBro BLM Antifas FOR Trump, if we disliked having our vote, our choice, ANY say taken from us. The "coup" was INSIDE The US Capitol Building. The "insurrection" was four decades ago. We lost!

Expand full comment

make sure you do not contribute to the evil google and other silly-cons perpetrate.

BDS everyday. good for your soul, body, and wallet.

Expand full comment

I have been a target of this since 2013 on all platforms.

Expand full comment

The good news: In the future, survivors looking back on the "totalitarian 20s" will have the utmost respect for all those heroes who were censored but who kept finding ingenious ways to speak and spread truth.

Expand full comment

Bad news: Biden might actually fix Conrail? So, when we're bayoneted onto cattle cars to the abattoirs, "survivors" will never know, who tried to delav their horrid demise?

Expand full comment

I would answer by saying something cheery like “Good News: Nothing that horrendous would ever happen.” But those of us who have managed thus far to avoid mass formation know that just about anything is now possible.

Expand full comment

Well, iron boot on the head stuff even happens to 63yr old, white, female teachers, trying to protect family farms against fracked ethane lines, running right by four giant, hillside schools in Libul PA! She was thrown into solitary for, "trying to lure bears, onto the ROW," or some psychotic BS the media spewed? If your Black and a nurse, they wake you up with .40 S&W JHP rounds through the wall? So, our email addy, IP, DSN info, from all these comment theeads is likely harvested by algorithm as we rant and Kamala, Ivanka or Chelsea will simply deny we've been ground into catfood for sedition?

Expand full comment

If/when soylent green for cats starts to appear on the shelves at Walmart, there is one final bit of “good news” after all: my two finicky cats will refuse to eat it. However, I think they might quite enjoy a can of oligarch and bankster in gravy.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

15 years ago, i got booted out of amazon 3rd party sellers market, after criticizing zionism and imperialist wars. no explanation, no recourse. ever since, i've been making sure it do not give a red penny to amazon. i make sure whatever i do cost amazon $$$. i almost fogot to tell you that amazon also stole my listings (all the merchandise information i manually typed in) for their use right before booting me out.

Expand full comment

The shameless digital version of stealing your land. I only hope I live long enough to see this one ongoing injustice rectified.

Expand full comment

So true. I only know Facebook. A post on daily life gets a bunch of reactions. A post sharing counter narrative information on the pandemic either gets removed, or crickets.

Expand full comment

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." - William J. Casey

True ( )

False ( )

I've just had Omicron and wished to discover which tests to request, to check my current immunoglobulin. I really suggest anybody interested, TRIES to find any accurate assessment online, as their narrative collapses?

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2022/01/covid-the-narrative-is-crumbling.html

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/01/21/utahs-covid/

Expand full comment

“The goal is to normalize internet censorship, whether or not you like the controversial person being banded is irrelevant”, the point is internet censorship is our undoing and the tool of our oppressors.

Caitlin is our leader yes? Her’s is an honest inquiry and it is our habit and pleasure to sup at her table, receive her wisdom, yes?

What does this piece, Caitlin’s analysis, portend for your understanding of Trump? What should we conclude? Where you aghast at Trump, do you now rethink what his presidency means. Not him, he was a doufus, the fact of an unauthorized person winning that office. An unauthorized President!

The cascade of lies and censorship that resulted is fearsome and the real nature of America has been laid bare, the Orange one reordered the world as no one has since FDR. His affect, no doubt your concern, was altogether needed, it’s to complicated, altogether opaque this the reality of power but we knew, we intuited it, their lies were felt more than understood and along came the bloviating monster transgressing all that is decent and we flocked to him. An ignoramus stands between us and the prospect of total control, yes he will fail, the die is cast, they will win, but for now we can still rage against the dying light - the dream that was America.

Fuck off, I’m for Trump.

Expand full comment

I'm hoping that the false dichotomy between the current flask of baboons or Trump isn't what we've been reduced to. Trump always was and will remain a symptom of what is wrong. If we hover too long over this false pitch, then we acquiesce to our own demise all the more. (I know, we've had this conversation before, so you needn't reply.) ;-)

Expand full comment

I actually agree with you. I tried to capture that when I say that it is an ignoramus that stands between us and them totally controlling us. It’s bizarre.

Expand full comment

No word here on whether you're rethinking your position of continuing to play a rigged game on medium/twitter/facebook etc. I think your arguments are reasonable but maybe not right given the numbers Jonathon and others are providing. You're probably also underestimating your own impact on your reader's habits, and consequent potential to hollow out the censorious platforms by your departure. The Rogan numbers are illustrative. There are doubtless many apolitical users that will stay on facebook etc. regardless but they may actually be a minority, and it looks like you won't really be allowed to talk to them regardless.

Expand full comment

She is right. This censorship far worse than traditional forms for people do not know they are being cendored

Expand full comment

Damn...going after Kyle as only slightly left-of-center. I mean, he'd disagree with your assessment of him. I, however, don't. He's just as much the problem as he is the solution.

Expand full comment

Yes, I am reconciled to the fact I will never get more than about two dozen readers for my own blogging project until alternative vectors are available. But I will keep trying. https://yaxls.wordpress.com/

Expand full comment
Feb 3, 2022·edited Feb 3, 2022

Your journalism is a breath of fresh air. No hidden agenda. The facts can’t be questioned when real life examples are held directly in your face. Social media platforms seem to give the impression of free speech, but in reality, do the opposite. Some big wig with enough power and money to hire algorithm creators…gets the final word. Social media platforms are a lot easier to speak your peace on…than giving a live speech on tv. Free speech isn’t free when it’s being immediately “approved” for distribution. Think about it. How many networks/people have the ability to go live on television?…”live streams” are controlled by the algorithm and who you are “friends” with. False sense of free speech.

Expand full comment

How do we find each other online? Seems lonelier than ever, being a leftist in August 2023.

Expand full comment

Great post. Internet censorship has become so insidious that most people who subscribe to the mainstream view, believe it doesn't exist! At least, not in the freedom-loving west - our censors are the good kind, who only remove the kind of harmful disinformation that helps that dastardly cad Putin.

I wrote a post somewhat related to this, in the context of the Ukraine war: https://alipmcg.substack.com/p/blinding-by-projection

Expand full comment

Big-tech censorship is often perceived by people who don't know they're being censored as shunning and ostracizing by their "fallowers" and, therefore, constitutes a form of psychological abuse.

https://martintruther.substack.com/p/big-tech-censorship-using-algorithms?sd=pf

Expand full comment

You're whining about something you can do something about all by yourself. Stop supporting these moralistic monsters and get on with your life or would you rather have something to rail against. There are dozens of alternatives - use 'em.

Expand full comment