December 30, 2011

Facebook Censors Anonymous Commentors: Time picks "Anonymous Protestors" for Person of the Year

Time magazine's Protester cover reminds us of the value of Big Media
12-30-2011 Global:

I'm sure by now folks know that Facebook has a Comments Social Plugin for use by any site, which only allows folks with a Facebook account (or if plugin option is turned on AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo addresses) to post comments on any site using the Facebook Social Plugin. Facebook's intent was to eliminate anonymous comments because they consider them harmful, spam and basically useless to any discussion.

From the Facebook Developers Blog comes this which also gives us an idea of what Facebook is focusing on:
More Social Relevance:The upgraded Comments Box (i.e., Facebook's Social Plugin) uses social signals to surface the highest quality comments for each user. Comments are ordered to show users the most relevant comments from friends, friends of friends, and the most liked or active discussion threads, while comments marked as spam are hidden from view.
It is clear that Facebook is censoring the Internet and only allowing what their "Social Signals" (Undefined) chose. Effectively Facebook is selectively choosing who they consider acceptable to post comments even through other sites which use the Facebook social Plugin. These other sites are opting to use the plugin because of one feature of it, Facebook supposedly only allows accounts from verifiable persons. So these other sites are in effect being slyly tricked into censoring the Internet as well.

The following very questionable comments (updated as we find more) are allowed by Facebook, with no sanction for violating any terms of agreement, and fit the kind of comment Facebook considers acceptable:

DSS employee who was fired for Facebook comments withdraws petition
Police officers sacked over offensive Facebook comments
Facebook comments cause an office ruckus
Teachers resign after Facebook row
Three more jailed for Facebook comments on UK summer riots
Occupy posting leads to demotion
Sturgis residents angry about councilman's Facebook comments
Public servants' pay docked over Facebook comments
Purdue Strikes Down On Negative Facebook Comments
Lowe's deletes 'hateful' comments on Facebook page
Lowe's pulls anti-Muslim Facebook comments after 'American Muslim' ad ban
Dominican Woman Killed Over Negative Comments On Facebook
Dad Jailed for Facebook Duct Tape Pic of Daughter
Police: Large fight began because of Facebook comments
Facebook fight erupts between DJs
Assemblyman Steve Katz's wife blasts Sen. Greg Ball in video over Facebook unfriending
Three more jailed for Facebook comments on UK summer riots
Troy Mayor Janice Daniels' gay slur exposes a bigger issue part 1 of 2
Teen suspended over Facebook comments
Fla. deputy suspended over Facebook comments
Sacked Apple employee loses appeal over negative Facebook comments
Latest Vile Facebook Comments Made by ... NYPD
SHERIFF: Broward deputy's Facebook comments cross the line
Police Computers Searched in Probe of Facebook Comments on West Indian Day Parade
Thailand Warns Facebook Activity Might Slur Monarchy
Facebook comments lead to fight in yard
N.Y.C. Police Maligned Paradegoers on Facebook

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