(2020-10-12). Social Media Demonization Is Another Moral Panic. counterpunch.org 
In his debate against Kamala Harris, Mike Pence zeroed in on the words "American people". He wanted to shift responsibility away from a failing administration and onto the people themselves. Harris was at her strongest when she slammed this approach as making the American people sacrificial. There is no term more fascist than "essential worker"—death
(2020-10-11). It's Time Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech. counterpunch.org 
On September 1, 2020, I received a direct message (DM) on Twitter from a reporter working with a mainstream outlet requesting comment. After a brief chat on the phone, I was informed that I was unwittingly caught up in a Russian-backed media operation, for a "publication" that had recently offered a writing opportunity. The "outlet"
(2020-10-11). It's Time To Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech. counterpunch.org The tech oligopolies and monopolies — and particularly social media corporations — are not accountable to the public and lack meaningful regulation. The industry creates corrosive environments for democratic societies. The result allows for users and workers to be manipulated and exploited so that the industry can secure market share and profits.
(2020-10-11). Privacy or child protection? 7 governments, including US & UK, argue Facebook's new encryption plan would benefit PEDOPHILES. rt.com 
The UK, and others, have criticized Facebook over its plan to introduce end-to-end message encryption, arguing it would allow pedophiles freely share child abuse materials as millions are attributed to the tech giant's platforms. | The US social media giant has found itself at the center of yet another controversy as its initiative supposedly aimed at protecting the privacy of billions of people using Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp stumbled on the vehement opposition of the UK and the US, as well as other countries. The governments argue the move would make the social networks a safe haven for pedophiles and…
(2020-10-11). Twitter Flags Trump Tweet on Being 'Immune' as 'Potentially Harmful' COVID-19 Information. sputniknews.com Earlier on Saturday, US President Donald Trump's personal physician announced in a statement that Trump no longer posed a risk of transmitting the coronavirus to others – after over a week of the president's COVID recovery process.
(2020-10-10). Climate Emergency Activist Greta Thunberg Endorses Biden in Rare Political Tweet. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/greta_thunberg_3_0.jpg …
(2020-10-10). How Did People Have Conversations Back Before Tech Oligarchs Were There To Police Them? thealtworld.com Twitter has "Starting next week, when people attempt to Retweet a Tweet with a misleading information label, they will see a prompt directing them to credible information about the topic before they can amplify it," Twitter
(2020-10-10). Colombia: Social Organizations Denounce New Massacre in Cauca. telesurenglish.net Colombia's authorities and social organizations Friday informed that a group of armed men killed four people in a rural area of Jamundi municipality in Valle del Cauca Department. | RELATED: | The victims are young Eider Gutierrez and brothers Eliceo and Edgar Campo. The fourth person remains unidentified. | "Bandits attacked the youths with firearms in La Meseta, Comuneros community," Jamundi's mayor Andres Ramirez tweet…
(2020-10-10). Police investigate Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over controversial David Starkey interview. thecanary.co 
A police investigation has been launched into Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over a controversial interview he published in which historian David Starkey said slavery was not genocide because there are "so many damn blacks" still around.In a statement, Metropolitan Police confirmed that "on 4 July, the Metropolitan Police Service was passed an allegation from Durham Police of a public order offence relating to a social media video posted online on 30 June."The matter is currently being investigated."No arrests have been made, the force added.Dr David Starkey faced significant backlash over his comments in the in…
(2020-10-10). Nearly 500,000 power outages reported across Texas & Louisiana as Hurricane Delta pummels gulf coast with 80mph gusts. rt.com 
Nearly a half-million residents in Texas and Louisiana have been left without power after Hurricane Delta made landfall along the US gulf coast, battering cities with winds up to 80 miles per hour. | Delta hit land in southwest Louisiana on Friday night, inflicting widespread damage and knocking out electricity for some 379,636 people in the state and another 108,402 in neighboring Texas, Footage circulating on social media showed powerful gust…
(2020-10-10). Actress Kirstie Alley spars with fellow celeb Rosanna Arquette after tweeting 'radical left' will be in charge if Biden wins. rt.com 
Conservative actress Kirstie Alley became embroiled in a war of words with fellow celebrities online after blasting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as "evil" over her attempt to create a new procedure to remove a sitting US president. | "The 'process' EVIL NANCY PELOSI speaks of is an attempt at a presidential takeover of a President by glorified BAKER ACT," Alley tweeted on Friday, adding "don't believe a word that comes out of this [witch's] mouth… and yes she gives witches a bad name." | The "process" EVIL NANCY PELOSI speaks of is an attempt at a presidential takeover of a President by glorified BAKER ACT ..
(2020-10-10). Belarus' Lukashenko meets JAILED opposition activists, talks constitutional reform. rt.com 
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has paid an unexpected visit to a detention center in Minsk, meeting incarcerated members of the so-called 'Coordination council of the opposition'. | The unusual move was reported by local media on Saturday, with a short video from the meeting emerging on social media later in the day. | Members of the opposition 'council' were detained over calls to overthrow the government amid the unrest that followed the contested August 9 presidential election. The activists are currently being held at the pre-trial detention center of the Belarus State Security Committee (KGB) i…
(2020-10-10). Trump intensifies conflict with big tech over Section 230 protections following censorship moves by Facebook and Twitter. wsws.org After Facebook and Twitter both censored Trump for falsely comparing the coronavirus to the flu, the president called for a repeal of the law protecting social media companies from liability for content posted on their platforms.
(2020-10-10). The Great VIRAL Debate: Dr Anderson's Opening Statement. thealtworld.com Dr Piers Robinson is our Chair. Off-Guardian is your host. The proposition to be debated is: : SARS-COV-2 merits suppression measures in order to combat the virus rather than the herd/community immunity approach | Dr Anderson responds in support of the proposition: : | Iask readers to reflect a little on health systems and the ideas behind them, and not just react to particular measures. To simply react to the crisis as 'lockdown vs no lockdown', and complain how it affects individual liberties, misses that. | The 2020 pandemic has shown us massive failures in western neoliberal health systems [mdash…
(2020-10-10). This Tyrant Feeds Peacocks. zcomm.org India is burning. In the months from March to May the news and social media were flooded with heart rending stories and images of the trauma of out-of state workers who lost their livelihood overnight when the coronavirus lock down was imposed without adequate notice. With all modes of transportation brought to a halt they
(2020-10-10). The MEC Saga Shows That Canada Needs More Co-operation. popularresistance.org The campaign to "Save MEC" — Mountain Equipment Co-op — has rallied more than 140,000 Canadians together to save a business that is being sold to an American private equity firm. But this grassroots and groundswell campaign wasn't about saving a retailer; it was about saving a co-op. In fighting for a member-owned, democratic business, the campaign tapped into a passion in Canadians for co-operation. | That passion, which drove thousands of people to engage on social media, sign petitions, demand support from banks and donate more than $100,000 to a legal fund to challenge the sale of the co-op, prove…
(2020-10-10). [Correspondence] Undermining breastfeeding will not alleviate the COVID-19 pandemic — Authors' reply. thelancet.com In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, questions regarding possible methods of virus transmission, including the safety of breastfeeding by mothers who are infected, are of great importance. We reported1 the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA (not viral particles, as incorrectly stated by Natalie Shenker and colleagues) in consecutive milk samples from an infected mother and interpreted our findings with the greatest caution. In particular, we did not claim that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via contaminated breastmilk or that breastfeeding should be discontinued by mothers with…
(2020-10-10). Zarif names his talks with Chinese FM 'fruitful'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 10 (MNA) — In a tweet on Saturday, Iranian FM Zarif named his held talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Iran-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as 'fruitful'.
(2020-10-10). Pence's Fly Becomes Star of Video Parody Inspired by Horror Movie 'The Ring'. sputniknews.com The scene featured in the viral video was taken from the 2002 American remake of 1998 Japanese horror film "The Ring".
(2020-10-10). Masks Are a Political Agenda, Not a Protection Against Covid or Flu. thealtworld.com This 39-minute interview with two experts is the best information available on the efficacy and dangers of masks. As I have reported from the beginning, unless the mask is N95 it provides zero protection against inhalation and exhalation of viruses: | All masks raise C02 levels, reduce oxygen levels, and, if you are infected, increase the viral load that you are breathing. If a N95 mask has an exhalation valve, the C02 and contaminant levels are lower, but if you are infected…
(2020-10-09). The Case Against Social Media: Mass Misinformation in the Covid-19 Era. counterpunch.org 
Americans are now witnessing a new era of conspiracy mongering and fake news via the rise of the fringe "QAnon" movement, among a plethora of paranoid claims that Covid-19 is an elite-fueled hoax and that it was secretly created by powerful people working in the shadows.
(2020-10-09). Debatable: Can Kamala Harris Tell Us Anything About the Politics of Ava DuVernay? counterpunch.org 
I can't believe that it was just last year that Ava DuVernay's "When They See Us" was the thing that Black folks were watching and discussing on social media. We laughed, we cried, we felt righteous indignation at the way those young men were treated, and immeasurable gratitude for the filmmaker who put their stories
(2020-10-09). Twitter suspends Saudi accounts that stoked rumours of coup in Qatar. middleeasteye.net 
Twitter suspends Saudi accounts that stoked rumours of coup in Qatar | Accounts purported to belong to members of Qatar's royal family and fabricated statements from Amnesty and Human Rights Watch | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 14: 51 | It remains unclear why Twitter took so long to identify the network and delete the accounts linked to Saudi Arabia (AFP) | Twitter says it has deleted more than 30 accounts that sto…
(2020-10-09). Check with MSM first: Twitter rolls out new rules for candidates to claim victory in US election. rt.com 
Twitter has rolled out a set of changes to its rules ahead of the upcoming US presidential election. From now on, users — including candidates — cannot claim victory until it's called by at least two "authoritative" news outlets. | The updated rules were unveiled by the social media platform on Friday. While an earlier version of the rules said election candidates could not claim victory on the platform until the results were "certified," now they are allowed to do so when the results are merely "authoritatively called." The general twitterati are barred from prematurely hailing the victory of a ca…
(2020-10-09). 4 killed, dozens injured in gas tank explosion in Beirut neighborhood (VIDEOS). rt.com 
The Lebanese capital Beirut has been rocked by a powerful blast after a diesel tank blew up in a densely-populated residential area. At least four people died and scores were injured in the explosion and subsequent fire. | Photos and videos published on social media show streets littered with debris and rubble, as well as damaged buildings, as firefighters try to extinguish blazes raging at what appears to be the scene of the blast. | ŸÅŸàÿ¨ ÿßÿ∑ŸÅÿßÿ° ÿ®Ÿäÿ±Ÿàÿ™ Ÿ&agrav…
(2020-10-09). Evidence that the Face Mask does not Impede Viral Transmission. globalresearch.ca Dr. Redfield: | I made it a point to watch you after seeing Wisconsin's Chief Medical Officer and Epidemiologist, Dr. Ryan Westergaard, "Now the science is in. [Because of] recent studies with large numbers …
(2020-10-09). FBI Charges Men Involved in Whitmer Kidnapping Plot With Domestic Terrorism. truthout.org Just months after President Trump tweeted for his supporters to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" the FBI has foiled an alleged plot to kidnap and take hostage Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer. Authorities arrested six men Thursday involved in the kidnapping plot, and seven others who were said to be planning to storm the state Capitol in Lansing with the intent of starting a civil war. "It came as a surprise to many, but not necessarily here in Michigan, because the state has a long history o…
(2020-10-09). Pence Faked Care for George Floyd, But We Know the Truth of His Administration. truthout.org Immediately following this week's vice presidential debate, an explosion of unapologetically racist and misogynist references to Kamala Harris have spread across social media. Trump himself labeled her a "monster" on Fox News. | This kind of vitriol is dangerous, especially with Trump occupying an unfiltered bully pulpit from which he covertly commands right-wing vigilante and militia. We can only imagine the signal that such language sends to those hyped up and armed "patriots," whom he has…
(2020-10-08). Protests & Provocateurs: Infiltrators are Disrupting BLM Protests. counterpunch.org 
Reports of agents provocateurs, outside agitators and police infiltration of protests are appearing throughout the country and involving law-enforcement agents and rightwing nationalists. The most public role of such a disruptor was detailed in Minneapolis at the time of Trump's provocative tweets and involved someone who has come to be known as the "Umbrella Man."
(2020-10-08). Yemen's Houthi-run Al Masirah TV accounts suspended by Twitter. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen's Houthi-run Al Masirah TV accounts suspended by Twitter | Suspension comes as clashes intensify in Hodeidah between Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed forces | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 13: 40 | Supporters of Yemen's Houthi fighters chant slogans as they gather in the capital Sanaa on 24 September 2020, during a ceremony by the Houthis to collect cash, food and other donations for their force…
(2020-10-08). 'Misogynistic loser': Fox News contributor eviscerated on Twitter for calling Kamala Harris an 'insufferable lying bi**h'. rt.com 
Republican consultant and Fox News contributor Harlan Hill bashed a social media hornets' nest with a bat with a tweet branding Democratic VP candidate Kamala Harris an "insufferable lying b*tch" during her debate with Mike Pence. | "Kamala Harris comes off as such an insufferable lying bitch. Sorry, it's just true," Hill tweeted during the Wednesday night debate between Harris and Vice President Mike Pence. "I didn't think it was possible for someone to be less likable than Hillary Clinton," he added in a separate tweet. | Kamala Harris comes off as such an insufferable lying bitch. Sorry, it's just true.[mda…
(2020-10-08). USA Today blasted for 'who won VP debate' Twitter poll that LEFT OUT Pence. rt.com 
USA Today has been called out by Republicans for inexplicably leaving Mike Pence out of a Twitter poll asking "Who won the vice presidential debate?" — though the outlet tried to brush it off as a mistake. | The poll, posted after the Wednesday night debate, asked users who had won, offering respondents the choices of Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden (who wasn't even in the debate), "the pesky fly" that alighted on Pence's head, or "I didn't watch!" Notably, Vice President Pence's name was nowhere to be seen. | Think the media has an agenda…
(2020-10-08). 'Misogynistic loser': GOP consulstant eviscerated on Twitter for calling Kamala Harris an 'insufferable lying bi**h'. rt.com Republican consultant and regular Fox News guest Harlan Hill bashed a social media hornets' nest with a bat with a tweet branding VP candidate Kamala Harris an "insufferable lying b*tch" during her debate with Mike Pence. | "Kamala Harris comes off as such an insufferable lying bitch. Sorry, it's just true," Hill tweeted during the Wednesday night debate between Harris and Vice President Mike Pence. "I didn't think it was possible for someone to be less likable than Hillary Clinton," he added in a separate tweet. | Kamala Harris comes off as such an insufferable lying bitch. Sorry, it's just true.— HARLA…
(2020-10-08). Penelope Cruz bombarded with Nagorno-Karabakh comments on Instagram as users mistake Colombian flag on film poster for Armenia's. rt.com 
Hollywood star Penelope Cruz has been unwittingly dragged into an online battle over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, after social media users falsely assumed she had posted an image of the Armenian flag. | The Spanish-born actress shared a photo of…
(2020-10-08). European Parliament President Sassoli self-isolating after member of his staff tests positive for Covid-19. rt.com 
The president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, announced on Thursday he would self-isolate after contact with a Covid-19 infected person. | "I was recently in contact with a member of my staff who today tested positive for Covid-19," Sassoli tweeted. "In accordance with the rules, I'll be self-isolating for the required period to carry out the necessary checks." | The EU Parliament head Sassoli has already put himself into quarantine once — back in March…
(2020-10-08). Video: Rapper Tory Lanez Charged With Felony Assault in Megan Thee Stallion Shooting. sputniknews.com Canadian rapper and singer Tory Lanez is facing up to 22 years and eight months in prison for the July 12 incident in which he allegedly shot US rapper Megan Thee Stallion in both feet.
(2020-10-08). Video: US Marine Who Posted Clip Threatening Asians Wanted by Pentagon. sputniknews.com A US Marine who recently posted a video on social media in which he threatened to shoot Asians is now wanted by US Marine Corps leaders "so that his command can take appropriate action."
(2020-10-08). Did Trump's "LIBERATE MICHIGAN" Tweet Inspire Militia Plot Against Gov. Whitmer? truthout.org Federal investigators uncovered and thwarted a plot planned by six individuals, some of whom were part of a militia in Michigan planning to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. | Four of the six men The men ha…
(2020-10-08). Facebook Profited From Climate Misinformation Even After Vowing to Fight It, Report Shows. commondreams.org Inaccurate and misleading ads—which were bought by right-wing lobby and nonprofit groups—were viewed by eight million U.S. users during the first half of 2020. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/denial.jpg …
