Un-Friending Facebook?
My finger is itchily hovering over the button that will sever my connection with Facebook. But before my digit descends I’ll pop out to the Mapleton Village shops and pick up a coffee, and sit in the park, and think about things.
Right. Coffee done. I’m back.
It would be so easy to press the button but the truth is I’m feeling very conflicted. I’d like you to read the following PR notice that FB has trotted out there for years … “Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.”
Maybe, in a time that ended long ago, that statement had a ring of truth to it. But then the founders of FB moved on from being jolly College IT Nerds and discovered the feel of staggeringly huge amounts of money in their mitts, and then re-designed the platform to put even larger amounts of same in that same sweaty place. We, the users, were moved on from feeling part of a community of like-minded souls and friends and became nothing more than sources of usable data. We were turned (on the Platform I’m saying) into exploitable objects.
Yet, many of us, even with that clear knowledge in our minds, stayed with FB and endured that excruciating period when FB used a creeping method to algorithm us away from clear and concise contacts with our friends, and bastardised our Newsfeeds with so much unwanted crap.
And now … here we are at The Australian Independent Media Network (The AIMN) … faced with a direct attack on our abilities at the community level to cross-platform share our joys and fears on issues that are important to us. Did FB even take a nanosecond to think about the fact that The AIMN is not a Hard News site? The AIMN is a collective of writers and readers (often quite interchangeable between both of those roles) who share opinion pieces on politics or environment etc, and who share their stories and insights with other like-minded souls. We are a community and we have a community presence on FB. I feel quite angry at how FB is treating the founders and owners of The AIMN and how, from the FB point of view, not a shit is given to the years of effort that went into the building of this community. I know The AIMN will survive, but kicks in the guts are kicks in the guts.
Talking of which … I am part of a small FB Group called Survivors and Friends … I’ve only just recently joined but they used FB to archive all their previous articles and Survivor stories … their archive disappeared this morning. Which makes me doubly angry.
Why is this all happening?
Our gutless Government is owned lock stock and barrel by conservative media. Our monopoly mainstream media is jousting with the monopoly social media platforms to gouge whatever they can out of each others’ revenue streams. Without the backing of monopoly level conservative media our current Government would have been chucked out long ago. So no surprise that the Coalition is sucking up to Murdoch.
Bit trite for our Government to argue on behalf of Murdoch et al about how their revenue streams are being ripped off by the larger social media platforms, when that same Government is flaying the revenue streams of the ABC.
Meanwhile … The AIMN, Survivors and Friends, and all of the other community level organisations who utilise FB to share their information were today told in no uncertain terms by FB to go and get stuffed. They were also shown that the only thing that trickles down to them from the 1% looks like, smells like, and is, shit.
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Baby Jewels -
New England Cocky -
Kronomex -
Michael Taylor -
ajogrady -
paul walter -
Josephus -
Geoff Andrews -
Michael Taylor -
Geoff Andrews -
paul walter -
wam
Return to home pageIt’s easy to get around this latest ruling. Screenshot or copy/paste articles. Just remember to credit where you found it. I don’t blame Fb at all, I blame this Federal Government. As someone elsewhere said, “If you control information, you control minds. If you control minds, you control people. That is what the LNP are trying to do, that and more profit and influence to Murdoch. “
Somehow this has all happened before in Germany 1933 to 1945; …..
1) when heavy industry corporations got into political bed with upstart politicians having God Dreams of the Fourth Reich and posted propaganda to suit their political aims rather than the truth of the matter;
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2) when political graft and corruption were so common-place that government politicians stole personal chattels with impunity;
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3) when a small elite of Party members profited at the expense of the other 70% of the population;
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4) when owning a four valve radio was an offence punishable by summary execution;
.;
5) when becoming an industrial slave was as easy as standing up for yourself,
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6) when looking ”different” from the blonde role model could be a a long sojourn in a concentration camp without a proper trial or even summary execution.
It’s the unmitigated arrogance of the federal LNP in it’s sycophantic crawling to Rupert, and assorted other media outlets, that has caused this to occur and they are now scrambling to sort it (and Brittany Higgins) out by looking for anything to distract the rest of the country from this bunch of lying, corrupt incompetents and thugs.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/feb/18/prime-minister-scott-morrison-attacks-facebook-for-arrogant-move-to-unfriend-australia
Then there’s the Barnaby/Kelly CEFC situation (minor I know, but you have pick a starting point) in the background and who else knows what other horrors are looming for them. Are we seeing the long desired actual self destruction of Saint Scotty of the Marketing and the Marketingettes starting? What a pleasant thought.
BJ, one of our readers has written some code for us and we can share on Facebook via The AIMN Facebook page. The catch is that only page admins can do it. However, if you see it anywhere on Facebook you can share from the group it is in.
Has the world turned upside down? The party of free and open markets, small government, less government interference in business is running a protection racket for one American billionaire against another American billionaire and is openly advocating socialist corporate welfare payments. While protecting their media billionaire they are horrified that the unprotected billionaire pulled the free government announments from his platform that their protected billionaire media cszar rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funded monies from charging for government announcements. All this supposedly to protect free and unbiased journalism while the Murdoch puppet government systematically dismantles the only body who has a charter to protect free and unbiased journalism, the ABC.
I agree with Keith, was thinking about the FB schlock about “community nurturing”, against the vicious kick aimed at us to somehow punish MSM and its government lackies (?).
They do not do Machiavellian politics very well. They have singlehandedly managed to divert attention from the ugly Morrison government and Murdoch’s failings onto themselves, the fools.
The big stick does not work very well down under and Zuck should have a second think about his advisers.
FB is mostly boring- photos of dogs, look at my latest enormous pub meal, admire my pics of a fat baby, all that. Or rather, navel gazing (nombrilisme in French) , narcissism, selfishness, call it what you will. However at community level FB did have use as the source of local news, above all during catastrophes; in addition it fostered local exchange of used goods and services: Can anyone lend me a digger; anyone like a tray of surplus tomatoes for a very fair price? Or, watch out for car rego x, seen snooping around at the time my boat disappeared…
I’m with you, Josephus and you’re right, ajogrady – logic has flown out of the window. The LNP are savoring the sweet smell of socialism while Labor has a little foreplay with the free market; Facebook would have to pay if it chose to advertise in one of Mr Murdoch’s rags but Mr Murdoch wants to be paid to advertise himself on Facebook.
If the government wants to apply its collective genius for “managing the economy”, treat Facebook like any other Company that makes a profit from its dealings with Australians and tax it. If Facebook doesn’t like that and withdraws from Australia in a huff then that’s alright with me – I won’t have to see another photo of Aunty Irma’s cat asleep on its back.
A few years ago Carol posted a photo of a beautiful sunset on her Facebook page. There was a jet stream in the photo, but it didn’t distract from the gorgeous sunset.
Within minutes she was attacked for posting a photo of chem trails.
That was it. That done it for her. She hasn’t posted much since – only stuff for the family.
Might have been a Jewish space laser. Apparently they are quite difficult to tell apart,
Geoff, these would be the Jewish space lasers that pink unicorns are known to graze off.
And whole squadrons of airborne powder -blue miniature sky- pigs.
Michael, you should tell Carol that chem trails are dined off exclusively by three-legged army ducks and have her accept criticisms of her writing when such have validity.
How can scummo be so ^@%@# lucky. Rorts and virus distracted by rape allegations. Stupid maguire type total lack of empathy and bullshit speech about ‘not being aware’ distracted by zuckerberg. Labor needs to read kaye lee!!! Albo don’t forget ms higgins, mackenzie, the potato head and try to throw the WA women into the mix.
ps
One of my ex-kormilda students posted the bank refused a $950 mortgage so I am forced to pay $1400 a month for rent for me and my kids.
pps yes michael there are extremists around