How the FDA Manipulates the Media – Scientific American
Scientific American reports on how government agencies use “media embargoes” to control reporting.
Creeping credentialism? “YouTube labeling some health videos amid misinformation backlash”
Youtube will promote videos on some subjects based on the “Authority” of those producing the video. Youtube has not defined what “authoritative” means – it may mean that Youtube will gradually give more focus to views produced by those with many initials after their name, as a proxy for “authoritative”. What could go wrong?
“Free speech is not an absolute human right”
Member of Facebook’s Content Moderation Board says free speech is not an absolute human right.
When billionaires control our public discourse
Facebook, Twitter and Google outrageously censored scientists and doctors for asking questions about challenging issues in the pandemic. Today, we are recognizing that these discussions were important – but silenced by the unethical billionaires of social media.
The role of media in establishing public consensus
Link to an essay on the role that “technical authority”, media propaganda, and how “consensus of experts” are used to influence the public and to exert control over us. This essay is an eye opener.
Talk about Spin: The official Minneapolis Police Statement after George Floyd was dead
The Minneapolis Police Department issued a press release after George Floyd died that was basically a lie, and omitted numerous critical details of the encounter. They later deleted the press release, apparently acknowledging it was not a true statement. The bogus press release is an example of pre-emptive propaganda, typical after police shootings – they release all the dirt they can find on the suspect, and then release a list of commendations and medals of the officers involved. In the case of George Floyd, the MPD left out crucial details – and this would have been all we knew if there had not been an independent video.
“Deplatforming” Parler
The controversy over hostile social media content advocating violence, hate, and lies on social media – and the deplatforming of individuals and entire services (e.g. Parler).
Was Parler deplatformed for “conservative” ideas or for users advocating violence?
Methods of subtle media propaganda
Every time someone not following the face mask meme contracts Covid-19, the media makes the lack of face masks the story. Yet when a large group of health care workers, with 100% face mask compliance is diagnosed with Covid-19, mention of face masks vanishes. According to the CDC, 90% of those diagnosed with Covid-19 were face mask wearers – suggesting the media’s focus on face masks or lack of one as the cause of contracting Covid-19 is propaganda messaging.
False: Full-time low income wage earners cannot afford a 2 bedroom rental anywhere in the U.S.
This claim comes out every year, from the same activist lobbying organization. They use misleading language and obfuscated definitions to imply a conclusion that is not true – a conclusion that the media laps up like good little puppies and uses to make false conclusions. This blog has covered this item twice previously. Nothing has changed.
“Doomscrolling Is Slowly Eroding Your Mental Health”
In the midst of an ineptly managed pandemic and ineptly managed civil unrest and economic fiasco people try to make sense of it by reading everything they can. Scrolling through post and news story after news story is called “doomscrolling” and it destroys your mental health. Sadly, much of the bull shit is not from random social media posts but from actual experts who spew nonsense.