North Koreans are facing severe punishments, including public executions and labor camp sentences, for consuming South Korean media such as popular dramas like “Squid Game” and music by artists like BTS. These harsh penalties, particularly for teenagers and those without financial means, highlight the North Korean government’s extreme crackdown on foreign information. Wealthier families can sometimes avoid the most brutal consequences through bribery, revealing a system where repression is intertwined with corruption, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable.
Read More
During an antitrust hearing concerning Netflix’s potential acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery assets, Sen. Josh Hawley expressed strong opposition to the streaming platform’s inclusion of transgender representation, particularly in children’s programming. Hawley inaccurately claimed that a significant portion of Netflix’s content for young viewers promotes a “transgender ideology agenda,” a statistic Netflix’s co-CEO, Ted Sarandos, refuted, stating it was inaccurate. Sarandos emphasized Netflix’s commitment to offering diverse content to a broad audience and highlighted parental control tools available on the platform, while Hawley persisted in expressing his personal disapproval of content he perceives as undermining parental values.
Read More
Following the announcement of a new joint venture to manage TikTok’s U.S. operations, user uninstalls have surged. Sensor Tower reported a nearly 150% increase in average daily app deletions over the last five days. The joint venture introduced a new privacy policy that prompted some users to express concerns on social media. Despite the updated policy containing similar language as an archived version from August 2024, the announcement has resulted in a demonstrable change in user sentiment, leading to more deletions.
Read More
Oracle says data center outage causing issues faced by US TikTok users, and it’s certainly stirred up a lot of chatter. You know, when a major platform like TikTok experiences problems, and the explanation involves a data center outage, it naturally raises eyebrows. The core issue seems to be that users in the US are experiencing difficulties, and the initial explanation points to this specific technical problem.
Data center issues cause censorship? Interesting. Many people are questioning if a simple technical glitch is truly behind the problems, with some suggesting a different, more politically motivated explanation. The timing is also a point of contention, with the “outage” coinciding with sensitive events or specific types of content, like discussions about specific political figures or topics.… Continue reading
Comedian Megan Stalter and other TikTok users reported difficulties uploading videos critical of ICE, leading to accusations of censorship. These issues arose around the same time a new joint venture, partly owned by Oracle with ties to the Trump administration, took control of TikTok’s US operations. While TikTok attributed the glitches to a power outage, the timing of the issues raised concerns about content moderation and data security among users. Experts like Casey Fiesler highlight the lack of trust in social media platforms and the potential for perceived censorship, especially given the platform’s changing ownership.
Read More
TikTok users in the US have reported issues with the platform, specifically being unable to use the word “Epstein” in messages, alongside claims of censorship regarding content about ICE raids and protests. These issues arose shortly after TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, was forced to divest a majority stake to US investors. California Governor Gavin Newsom is launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content, while the platform attributes the problems to a “major infrastructure” issue caused by a power outage. The Independent has reached out to TikTok for further clarification on the issues and how the ownership change will impact content moderation.
Read More
In addition to the main content, Bulwark+ offers “Bulwark+ Takes,” a feature providing concise news commentary from the entire team. This platform includes ad-free video shorts, exclusive livestreams for Bulwark+ members, and archives of live events. Recognizing the continuous nature of news, “Bulwark+ Takes” ensures constant engagement with current events.
Read More
In a directive from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FEMA staff have been instructed to avoid specific phrases, such as “watch out for ice,” due to potential misinterpretations and the risk of generating negative viral memes, given recent controversies surrounding ICE. An anonymous source explained that such phrases could be easily misused by the public. FEMA staff are reportedly encouraged to use alternative wording, like “freezing rain,” to communicate weather warnings, though a FEMA spokesperson has denied the report.
Read More
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem instructed “Face The Nation” host Margaret Brennan not to mention ICE agent Jonathan Ross’ name, citing concerns over “doxing” and an alleged rise in death threats against law enforcement. Despite Ross’ name being public, Noem insisted it shouldn’t be repeated, even though Brennan was inquiring about reports of internal bleeding. Noem’s statements followed a controversial incident where Ross fatally shot Renee Good, prompting scrutiny and debate over the use of force. Noem maintained Ross was healing and emphasized the need for law enforcement to carry out their duties safely without media criticism.
Read More
Rogers stated that both the U.S. and the British Labour Party are open to considering restrictions on certain content. While Rogers framed President Trump and Vice President Vance as free speech advocates, their actions have often undermined the press and punished critics. The British Labour Party is considering criminalizing the creation of nonconsensual sexualized images, with potential legal consequences for platforms like X that provide the tools for their creation.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood
TikTok Users Report Anti-ICE Video Censorship, Company Cites “Tech Issues”
Comedian Megan Stalter and other TikTok users reported difficulties uploading videos critical of ICE, leading to accusations of censorship. These issues arose around the same time a new joint venture, partly owned by Oracle with ties to the Trump administration, took control of TikTok’s US operations. While TikTok attributed the glitches to a power outage, the timing of the issues raised concerns about content moderation and data security among users. Experts like Casey Fiesler highlight the lack of trust in social media platforms and the potential for perceived censorship, especially given the platform’s changing ownership.
Read More