Listen to this article: The emergence of the internet was met with hope and enthusiasm by people who understood that the plutocrat-controlled mainstream media were manipulating public opinion to manufacture consent for the status quo. The democratization of information-sharing was going to give rise to a public consciousness that is emancipated from the domination of plutocratic narrative control, thereby opening up the possibility of revolutionary change to our society's corrupt systems.
Do not forget that there are tens of millions of anti-war/anti-imperialist/pro-constitution people on the right that are also being impacted by this propaganda scheme. The fact that lefties are censored/algorithmed into obscurity does not mean they are the only ones or that the majority of the right is in favor of the tactics.
It doesn’t make any sense to watch a mainstream media show on YouTube because it’s already on tv. I’ve been going to YouTube for eleven years because it’s the opposite of mainstream media.
Independent podcaster Jimmy Dore has complained about this very thing. I'm actually surprised that voices such as yours and his are allowed to be heard at all. Seems we'll need to have reports of Jullian Assange's torture or Israeli apartheid disguised as funny cat videos from now on.
I've been wondering lately how the app generation keeps tabs on those they want to keep up with. Do young people use feedreaders and browsers and stuff? If not, how do they manage their reading?
Although are the fellow kids even reading? God, I'm feeling older the more I think about this haha 😄
This is the first time I have disagreed with you, Caitlin. I love your activism!
I think this is like shutting the barn gate after the livestock have already run off. I think it's BECAUSE of folk like you--and Kathy Copeland Padden and Earle Bailey and Bert Wolfe and Jimmy Dore and me--social media activists who've already begun the dissemination of the truth. Now, more and more of us know it, and there's nothing these cretins can do to negate that, no matter how hard they try.
In fact, I view these machinations as proof that they don't want us to know the truth and they are already worried that we do. Well, guess what, you neoliberal cretins (I say to them): Too bad; so sad. This is not gonna go the way you want it to... #OurRevolution #ExtinctionRebellion
Does anyone actually rely on recommended content put forth by algorithms? Are there people out there who are as stupid as an advertising (just by way of example) bot that recommends a computer or a car to a consumer who has just made such a major purchase, or recommends a non-organic product to a buyer who is clearly searching only for organic products with a shopping history of buying only organic foods? Perhaps content-censoring algorithms on youtube are smarter, smart enough to successfully squelch content in response to youtube's corporate masters, but viewers have the ultimate control when it comes to opting out, just as they did with mainstream media.
Propaganda is most successful when people don't know they are being lied to, or that other voices or opinions even exist. It is mostly this set of consumers who are targeted by these algorithms. Then again, there are those who have no interest in what's real, but only wish to be fed the most comforting lie.
Indeed, Marci. Your comment reminds me--I think these corporate fascists believe that we're a bunch of lazy ne'er-do-wells with slow intellects and the inability to grasp when we're being fed corporate propaganda. Well, we've been deluged with propaganda since the post-WWII corporate "elites" brought Edward Bernays across the pond. Plus, we're survivors of a coopted system of public education designed to spit out factory fodder and service industry drones with stunted critical thinking skills and a visceral aversion to all things academic. This fact provides a commonality that transcends all isms. We must recognize this and have each others' backs, or we will not survive what's coming. #OurRevolution #ExtinctionRebellion
Good article.
Do not forget that there are tens of millions of anti-war/anti-imperialist/pro-constitution people on the right that are also being impacted by this propaganda scheme. The fact that lefties are censored/algorithmed into obscurity does not mean they are the only ones or that the majority of the right is in favor of the tactics.
It doesn’t make any sense to watch a mainstream media show on YouTube because it’s already on tv. I’ve been going to YouTube for eleven years because it’s the opposite of mainstream media.
Independent podcaster Jimmy Dore has complained about this very thing. I'm actually surprised that voices such as yours and his are allowed to be heard at all. Seems we'll need to have reports of Jullian Assange's torture or Israeli apartheid disguised as funny cat videos from now on.
Great article.
I've been wondering lately how the app generation keeps tabs on those they want to keep up with. Do young people use feedreaders and browsers and stuff? If not, how do they manage their reading?
Although are the fellow kids even reading? God, I'm feeling older the more I think about this haha 😄
So true
This is the first time I have disagreed with you, Caitlin. I love your activism!
I think this is like shutting the barn gate after the livestock have already run off. I think it's BECAUSE of folk like you--and Kathy Copeland Padden and Earle Bailey and Bert Wolfe and Jimmy Dore and me--social media activists who've already begun the dissemination of the truth. Now, more and more of us know it, and there's nothing these cretins can do to negate that, no matter how hard they try.
In fact, I view these machinations as proof that they don't want us to know the truth and they are already worried that we do. Well, guess what, you neoliberal cretins (I say to them): Too bad; so sad. This is not gonna go the way you want it to... #OurRevolution #ExtinctionRebellion
Does anyone actually rely on recommended content put forth by algorithms? Are there people out there who are as stupid as an advertising (just by way of example) bot that recommends a computer or a car to a consumer who has just made such a major purchase, or recommends a non-organic product to a buyer who is clearly searching only for organic products with a shopping history of buying only organic foods? Perhaps content-censoring algorithms on youtube are smarter, smart enough to successfully squelch content in response to youtube's corporate masters, but viewers have the ultimate control when it comes to opting out, just as they did with mainstream media.
Propaganda is most successful when people don't know they are being lied to, or that other voices or opinions even exist. It is mostly this set of consumers who are targeted by these algorithms. Then again, there are those who have no interest in what's real, but only wish to be fed the most comforting lie.
It works on everyone to some extent though. If you follow a source regularly you should assume you've agreed to be manipulated toward their positions.
Indeed, Marci. Your comment reminds me--I think these corporate fascists believe that we're a bunch of lazy ne'er-do-wells with slow intellects and the inability to grasp when we're being fed corporate propaganda. Well, we've been deluged with propaganda since the post-WWII corporate "elites" brought Edward Bernays across the pond. Plus, we're survivors of a coopted system of public education designed to spit out factory fodder and service industry drones with stunted critical thinking skills and a visceral aversion to all things academic. This fact provides a commonality that transcends all isms. We must recognize this and have each others' backs, or we will not survive what's coming. #OurRevolution #ExtinctionRebellion