(2020-12-27). 'Wait! We actually love the anime community': Arizona GOP in hot water on Twitter after vow to block users with 'anime avatars'. rt.com 
The Arizona Republican Party has been forced to proclaim its admiration of Japanese animation fans after getting mocked and roasted online for threatening to block Twitter accounts with anime avatars. | The trouble started on Sunday, after the Arizona GOP Twitter account announced its "new policy" of blocking people on social media. They promised to block everyone "whose accounts were created in or after November 2020, use Anime avatars, have fewer than 25 followers, and spam reply our tweets." | It was not clear what prompted the group's warning. However, the Arizona Republicans said they were not "big fans o…
(2020-12-27). Turkish police apologize to homeless man for fining him during curfew. yenisafak.com Ali Ciftci said he was temporarily in Antalya, where he did not have a home or a place to stay. The police officer on duty still fined him for not complying with lockdown measures.The Security General Directorate said on Twitter: "Our police officer was only doing his duty in this case. But, we agree that we need to act according to context.""We contacted Ali Ciftci, provided him with the necessary support and accommodation. We will transfer him to his hometown," it said.Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu also shared the security directorate's statement on Twitter.
(2020-12-27). Socialise Big Tech. popularresistance.org On Wednesday 9 December, the Federal Trade Commission and forty-eight states and territories sued Facebook for its illegal social networking monopoly after an extensive investigation. The antitrust action seeks to break up the company by forcing it to divest two of its major business lines, Instagram and WhatsApp. | This latest event comes hot on the heels of October's historic investigation by the House Judiciary Committee—which detailed how dominant platform companies monopolise markets, abuse their power, and explicitly and purposely violate laws and regulations—and another lawsuit by the Departmen…
(2020-12-25). Restoring the Soul of America. counterpunch.org "One major difference between GOP and Dems is that [Republicans] leverage their right flank to gain policy concessions and generate enthusiasm, while Dems lock their left flank in the basement [because] they think that will make Republicans be nicer to them." Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez nailed it once again, tweeting her frustration and despair a few days ago
(2020-12-25). Syria hit by 'deadly barrage of Israeli missiles'. middleeasteye.net 
Syria hit by 'deadly barrage of Israeli missiles' | Activity heard over parts of neighbouring Lebanon, where many took to social media to denounce Christmas Day attack | Fri, 12/25/2020 – 10: 31 | Israel has launched hundreds of strikes in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011 (File pic/AFP) | Israeli missile strikes on Syria killed at least six Iran-backed fighters on Friday, acc…
(2020-12-25). Recidivist Criminal and Constitutional Outlaw Trump Rushes to Pardon Criminal Lawbreakers. commondreams.org Trump and future presidents cannot be allowed to brazenly dishonor justice and undermine the rule of law. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/roger_stone_0_1.jpg …
(2020-12-25). Minority Rule in America? counterpunch.org On October 7, 2020, Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah tweeted, "Democracy isn't the objective; liberty, peace, and prospefity are. We want the human condition to flourish. Rank democracy can thwart that." Rank? Lee is saying that if all eligible voters are allowed to do so, they will thwart "prospefity"? Who knew? For an American politician
(2020-12-25). 'Shameful': Trump Golfs, Tweets Election Lies as 14 Million Set to Lose Unemployment Benefits Just After Christmas. commondreams.org "The ability of millions of Americans to pay rent and buy groceries hangs in the balance, and Donald Trump spent the day golfing." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/donald_trump_36.jpg …
(2020-12-24). 'Trying to Kill Me': Black Doctor Who Died of Covid-19 Posted Harrowing Video Alleging Medical Racism. commondreams.org "This is how Black people get killed, when you send them home and they don't know how to fight for themselves," said Dr. Susan Moore in a video she posted on Facebook. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/moore_1.jpg …
(2020-12-24). Palestinian Facebook pages see audience crash due to algorithm tweaks: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinian Facebook pages see audience crash due to algorithm tweaks: Report | Sharp drop of user-reach linked to pages' coverage of recent Arab-Israeli normalisation agreements | Thu, 12/24/2020 – 14: 09 | The social media giant Facebook employs algorithm management that users will not notice (AFP) | Palestinians and Arab pages on Facebook, focusing on Israeli violations against Palestinians and on the Arab…
(2020-12-24). The Heat: Social media's influence. america.cgtn.com 
Critics say it's addictive, manipulative and sometimes dangerous, and it's something billions of people around the world use every day.
(2020-12-23). Ralph Nader: He's a Cookbook! counterpunch.org 
"We can all sit down and have a few beers together while we wait." — Duke Mantee (Humphrey Bogart), The Petrified Forest (1936) Call before, you dig? — Utility notification for unmarked Internet cables from hippy who finally got a job The other day, minding my own business, and getting lots of unwanted help doing
(2020-12-23). UK: Poole Hospital and Royal Bournemouth Hospital staff respond to frontline nurse's exposure of dangerous working conditions. wsws.org Posted on the NHS FightBack Facebook group page, the letter was read by hundreds of people and widely shared. It was also shared to various NHS based campaign groups across Facebook.
(2020-12-23). Biden's POTUS account to start from zero followers. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (MNA) — Twitter said on Tuesday that it would not automatically transfer the millions of followers of official Trump administration accounts to the incoming Biden administration, but instead give users the option to continue or not.
(2020-12-23). Hate speech on Facebook poses 'acute challenges to human dignity' — UN expert. news.un.org An independent UN human rights expert called on Wednesday for Facebook's Oversight Board to give greater consideration to the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities before making decisions over controversial content, particularly involving hate speech.
(2020-12-23). Trump Threatens Iran, Tweets Rocket Photos Claiming to Prove Complicity in Baghdad Embassy Attack. sputniknews.com The Trump administration has long claimed attacks against US forces in Iraq and across the Middle East are orchestrated by Iran, but it has consistently failed to present damning evidence of the claim.