IS FACEBOOK BECOMING THE THOUGHT POLICE?

Of course, we want to end online recruitment and incitement of terrorists, but losing free speech is too high a price! Yet Facebook’s expanded definition of terrorist organizations and other changes may do just that! Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are under increasing pressure from Congress to limit the spread of hate messages, pictures and videos, as more terrorists and mass shooters have been using social media to become notorious and incite others to follow their lead. Facebook has set up a ’Supreme Court’ to provide oversight as to what content is okay, and what gets removed. But, one man’s hate speech is another’s free speech. And this oversight board is too close to 1984’s Thought Police for comfort. They even have a Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy. Hear about the six categories of violence and criminal behavior that will get you in trouble on Facebook, if not booted altogether. In the book 1984, Winston Smith got into trouble with Big Brother, the leader of the Party, which prohibits free thought, sex, and any expression of individuality. As you may remember, it didn’t work out well for Winston in the end, so this should be a warning to all of us….