Missing the history
Taibbi is missing the bigger point in this mostly sensible discussion of Google and Facebook as controllers.

He's focusing on "rights" as usual, and ignoring real history. He's worried that the tech-monsters are just now forming a new and dangerous alliance with government, which makes them the equivalent of government censorship.

Nothing new and nothing unusual. There's no such thing as "free speech". Government has always controlled major media, especially since Wilson. CIA has always run the main radio and TV networks, and its management of Google and FB is just a seamless continuation.

State and city governments were often stronger censors than the Feds. Publishers and theater owners before WW2 had to deal with massive censorship operations by NYC, NY State, and Detroit. The Hays Office censored movies for decades. These modular censors were easier to handle BECAUSE they were modular. An overstrict censor would lose tax revenue for the city. The profit motive always works when there's real competition.

The only real variable is whether government is smart or stupid. A smart tyranny allows a wide range of opinion without stepping in and halting the speech, for two reasons. (1) Tight censorship guarantees violence. Opinion WILL find an outlet. (2) If you want to control the public smoothly and efficiently, you need to SENSE what the public is doing. Smooth control always requires good NEGATIVE feedback loops. If you shut down the ERROR-DETECTING channels, you're going to be surprised by new developments, resulting in brutal action and ultimately rebellion.

Our government has become stupid since 1989. The only feedback is internal. It sends out lies and listens to its own lies. It doesn't listen to REAL EVENTS happening outside DC and NYC, and it silences all voices that disagree with war and globalism. It doesn't even listen to what its own stupidly defined "enemies" are doing. Instead it listens to the screeeeeechy voices in its own head.

Labels: From rights to duties

  ¶ 2:38 AM