A Google investigation reveals the company has complied with censorship requests from approximately 150 governments since 2011, including autocratic regimes like Russia and China. These requests, which have more than doubled since 2020, resulted in the removal of millions of content items, ranging from videos criticizing government officials to political opposition materials. While Google cites reasons such as copyright and privacy, the data reveals significant opaqueness, raising concerns about the company’s role in controlling global information and the lack of sufficient oversight. Critics argue this unchecked power allows Google to act as an information gatekeeper with potentially far-reaching consequences for free speech and geopolitical stability.
Read More
The Trump administration, citing executive orders targeting “gender ideology” and “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” purged numerous websites across federal health agencies. This included the removal of information on LGBTQ+ health, HIV, and adolescent health, specifically data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, a crucial resource for researchers. Many pages unrelated to these topics were also removed, such as an interactive tool providing surveillance data on various infectious diseases. The removal of this information has sparked concern among researchers and health professionals regarding the potential impact on public health initiatives and the ability to monitor and respond to disease outbreaks.
Read More
This announcement of Russia’s plan to slow down YouTube download speeds by 70% comes as a concerning development. The leaked information suggests that this deliberate effort is aimed at pushing users towards a government-controlled Russian alternative website and eventually phasing out access to YouTube entirely. The strategy seems to be an attempt to boost the popularity of their own platforms, which have struggled to compete with the widespread adoption of YouTube in the country.
The decision to target YouTube specifically can be seen as a direct response to the platform’s popularity in Russia, where many individuals, including anti-government and counter-culture content creators, have found a voice and a substantial following.… Continue reading
As I delved into the news of YouTube blocking access to the Fifth Estate story on the killing of a B.C. Sikh activist at India’s demand, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease at the implications of such censorship. The Streisand effect, as they say, is bound to come into play here – attempting to suppress a story only serves to pique curiosity and drive more people to seek it out. It’s a classic case of trying to hide something in plain sight.
India’s shifting attitude towards Canada is also quite perplexing. On odd days, Canada seems insignificant on the world stage, but on even days, the mentality shifts to a delusional belief that what they don’t see or show doesn’t exist.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker