(Stillness in the Storm Editor) How do you know an agenda of manipulation is at work? Because, oftentimes, there’s intellectual inconsistency. Certain Facebook advertisers are boycotting the platform for so-called hate speech, while at the same time, these same advertisers use another social media platform in Russia that bans gay rights content. Is this logically consistent?
If the boycotting of a platform was because the hate speech ostensibly harmed another, would not the banning of gay rights content also be harmful in the same categorical way? Seems to me it would be. And given this logical inconsistency, this suggests the boycotting itself isn’t about hate speech but some other agenda.
What is the hate speech that we’re talking about? Well, hold back your surprise, it’s Trump posts. People who are posting what Trump says on the platform are being cited as spreading hate speech.
Given that hate speech is itself a term referring to a subjective phenomenon, namely, that what one person considers to be hateful isn’t the same as another, and therefore, there is no hard and fast definition, I think the agenda is pretty clear.
These advertisers aren’t really about helping oppressed people, which is ostensibly the purpose of banning hate speech, it’s about censoring the words of the POTUS, who happens to be Trump.
But, since advertisers are in the business of making money, they will use other platforms to do so, in countries and areas where the virtue-signaling aspect of boycotting hate speech won’t earn them any marks. Funny how duplicitous some of these self-appointed virtuous organizations can be, huh?
And there you have it. Critical thinking is a powerful tool to identify deeper agendas.
Here’s a fun game.
How many companies, movements, politicians, and agendas claim to be about stopping hate speech, are in fact about censoring non-hateful content for political reasons? If you’re good about your thinking, you should be able to identify a least a dozen in a matter of minutes.
PS: Case in point, the below-related article talks about Facebook flagging the Declaration of Independence as hate speech.
– Justin
Related Facebook Algorithm Flags The Declaration Of Independence As “Hate Speech”
by Ashe Schow, July 6th, 2020
Companies that have publicly announced they would stop advertising on Facebook unless the social media platform restricts President Donald Trump continue to advertise on a Russian platform favored by white supremacists.
The Washington Free Beacon’s Alana Goodman reported that some of the very companies publicly boycotting Facebook in “a public pressure campaign led by Joe Biden and other top Democrats” to restrict their opponent Trump’s postings are still advertising on VK, a Russian media website that has become a haven for “white supremacists and neo-Nazis who have been banned from Facebook.” Further, VK bans gay-rights groups from posting on its platform.
“Over 100 companies announced a boycott of Facebook last week in protest of divisive political speech on the website. The boycott coincides with a public pressure campaign led by Joe Biden and other top Democrats to press Facebook to enforce stricter control over President Trump’s postings,” Goodman reported. “But many of these companies—including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Adidas, and Reebok—have been regular advertisers on VK, a popular Russian media website used by many white supremacists and neo-Nazis who have been banned from Facebook. Several of these companies continue to have a marketing presence on the Russian website, raising questions about their recent concern about ‘hate speech’ on social media sites.”
For example, Reebok and Adidas released a joint statement last week criticizing Facebook for allowing alleged “hate speech” on its website.
“Racist, discriminatory, and hateful online content have no place in our brand or in society,” the companies said in the statement. “As we focus on better practices within our company and communities to ensure lasting change in the fight against racism, Adidas and Reebok will also pause advertising on Facebook and Instagram globally throughout July.”
Book Internet Censorship: Protecting Citizens or Trampling Freedom?
More from Goodman:
Many of the companies that joined the Facebook boycott continue to market their products and brands in posts on their VK pages, including Starbucks, Ford, Unilever, Colgate, Vans, The North Face, and Patagonia. On July 2, two days after joining the Facebook ad boycott, Colgate ran a promotion on VK offering prizes to members who purchased its products and used the VK app to scan the product code.
Coca-Cola has run advertising campaigns on VK, including a controversial 2016 ad in which the company included the disputed territories of Crimea and the Kuril Islands on a map of Russia. Pepsi has also been an advertiser on the site and reportedly collaborated with VK on a payment app in 2018. Both still have an active presence on the platform.
Goodman reached out to the above companies regarding their continued advertising on VK, but none responded. Starbucks provided a statement saying it was halting advertising on “all social media platforms.”
The National Socialist Movement and the Ku Klux Klan each have a presence on VK.
Stillness in the Storm Editor: Why did we post this?
The news is important to all people because it is where we come to know new things about the world, which leads to the development of more life goals that lead to life wisdom. The news also serves as a social connection tool, as we tend to relate to those who know about and believe the things we do. With the power of an open truth-seeking mind in hand, the individual can grow wise and the collective can prosper.
– Justin
Not sure how to make sense of this? Want to learn how to discern like a pro? Read this essential guide to discernment, analysis of claims, and understanding the truth in a world of deception: 4 Key Steps of Discernment – Advanced Truth-Seeking Tools.
Stillness in the Storm Editor’s note: Did you find a spelling error or grammatical mistake? Send an email to [email protected], with the error and suggested correction, along with the headline and url. Do you think this article needs an update? Or do you just have some feedback? Send us an email at [email protected]. Thank you for reading.
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