White House working with social media to censor anti-vaxxers

[Occam's Banana]

Where is the line between government and "private" corporations ... ?

White House working with social media giants to silence anti-vaxxers
https://nypost.com/2021/02/19/white-house-working-with-social-media-to-silence-anti-vaxxers/
Jesse O'Neill (19 February 2021)

The White House is asking social media companies to clamp down on chatter that deviates from officially distributed COVID-19 information as part of President Biden’s “wartime effort” to vanquish the coronavirus.

A senior administration official tells Reuters that the Biden administration is asking Facebook, Twitter and Google to help prevent anti-vaccine fears from going viral, as distrust of the inoculations emerges as a major barrier in the fight against the deadly virus.

“Disinformation that causes vaccine hesitancy is going to be a huge obstacle to getting everyone vaccinated and there are no larger players in that than the social media platforms,” the White House source told the news agency.

“We are talking to them … so they understand the importance of misinformation and disinformation and how they can get rid of it quickly,” the source added.

The news out of Washington is the first sign that officials are directly engaged with Silicon Valley in censoring social media users; Biden’s chief of staff Ron Klain previously said the administration would try to work with major media companies on the issue.

The Democratic administration is specifically pushing to make sure unfavorable material does “not start trending on such platforms and become a broader movement,” [...]

[... full article at link: https://nypost.com/2021/02/19/white-house-working-with-social-media-to-silence-anti-vaxxers/ ... ]

 

[donnay]

Of course they are. When you do not toe-the-line they shut you down. Nevertheless, they aren't shutting us down from speaking person-to person with regards to this so-called vaccine. It is not even a vaccine, per se, it is an experimental gene therapy and we are all guinea pigs.

Maybe being cancelled by social media censors is actually a blessing in disguise--people are actually talking to one another, face to face.

 

[69360]

I think that ship already sailed for the government. About 1 in 3 will not take it.

 

[oyarde]

I never had much opinion on vaccines before but I am now anti vax for sure for any new cocktails just rushed out . Anyone who isnt has not thought through this process clearly. Half of america has already been exposed to covid .Anti bodies everywhere .

 

[Anti Globalist]

I think that ship already sailed for the government. About 1 in 3 will not take it.

They will have to take it when your livelihood and your ability to have a job depends on it. We're already seeing stories of people getting fired from their jobs because they refuse to take the vaccine.

 

[Pauls' Revere]

Where is the line between government and "private" corporations ... ?

Indeed.

https://www.mic.com/p/nevada-wants-to-let-tech-companies-start-their-own-governments-61017409

It's become something of a cliché to say that mega-corporations are as powerful as entire countries, if not more so. And while that sort of grandiose assertion about the overall power and influence held by companies is certainly up for debate, there's no question that there are companies whose pervasive reach into our daily lives is indeed alarming. But what would happen if that (admittedly porous) membrane between government and corporation were to be erased altogether? Residents of Nevada might soon find out.

Draft legislation backed by Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, and obtained this week by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, suggests Nevada's effort to entice tech companies to set up shop within the state could go so far as to allow qualifying businesses to establish "Innovation Zones" — autonomous corporate territories that would essentially operate as their own counties. Per the Review-Journal, that would include the ability to impose taxes, establish school districts, operate courts, and "provide government services."

 

[Pauls' Revere]

They will have to take it when your livelihood and your ability to have a job depends on it. We're already seeing stories of people getting fired from their jobs because they refuse to take the vaccine.

^^^THIS^^^

Thanks for adding reputation to this user. May you be lucky enough to receive the same Reputation back in turn.

They will turn you into a social invalid if you don't. Wait until you are refused services for not providing proof of vaccine.

 

[Occam's Banana]

I don't really care about the vaccination angle of the story. On that, I am agnostic/indifferent.

What caught my attention was the explicit "we, the U.S. federal government, are gonna use private corporations to circumvent the First Amendment" angle.

Not that that is new or surprising in any way, but usually, they at least try to be a bit more subtle about it.

 

[Occam's Banana]

https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1363212278544412675

 

[Okie RP fan]

"But Facebook, Twitter, and Google are private companies, they can do what they want and you can leave!"

Michael Rectenwald has disproved the sentiment above by a far margin. There's still some conservatives and libertarians holding to that line of bull and now the left is even using it in their typical fashion because the companies are doing their bidding.

 

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

"But Facebook, Twitter, and Google are private companies, they can do what they want and you can leave!"

Michael Rectenwald has disproved the sentiment above by a far margin. There's still some conservatives and libertarians holding to that line of bull and now the left is even using it in their typical fashion because the companies are doing their bidding.

It's not like they decide they're going to ban politics from their platform or something, they're curating public opinion to undermine our nation, so yes that's an issue. I don't care if it's a private company or not, it's in the public space of the internet.

 

[Gumba of Liberty]

Walk away. Social Media, like television, is poison to once proud families and nations.

 

[Okie RP fan]

It's not like they decide they're going to ban politics from their platform or something, they're curating public opinion to undermine our nation, so yes that's an issue. I don't care if it's a private company or not, it's in the public space of the internet.

Yep, and with millions of users a piece, it's an issue that is too big to ignore or think it's black and white.

Walk away. Social Media, like television, is poison to once proud families and nations.

There ya go, just try to get rid of all of it. We need to get back to talking with one another in our own homes or playing manual games off of screens, going outside, etc.