MySpace censorship is a hot topic. An article by Paul Joseph Watson and Alex Jones on Prison Planet.com brings it to a whole new level. According to them, MySpace censorship is just the beginning of a much larger problem, the extermination of the freedom of e-speech. The censorship that Rupert Murdoch places on MySpace is due to the fact that
the media elite [is] losing their monopoly to the rapid and free spread of new communication technologies. Murdoch stressed the need to regain control of these outlets in order to prevent the establishment media empire from crumbling.
The media empire is losing its control over what is being said and needs to regain that control back. With the use of the Internet, people are capable of saying whatever they want. Using social networking sites such as MySpace, people can criticize anything and anybody. The media empire no longer has the monopoly on what goes public. Paul and Alex seem to think that the media empire wants that control back, and MySpace is only the beginning of that battle.
MySpace is Rupert Murdoch’s trojan horse for destroying free speech on the Internet. It is a foundational keystone of the first wave of the state’s backlash to the damage that a free and open Internet has done to their organs of propaganda. By first, making it cool, trendy and culturally elite for millions to flock to establishment controlled Internet backbones like MySpace, Murdock is preparing the groundwork for the day when it will stop being voluntary and become mandatory to use government and corporate monopoly controlled Internet hubs.
The loss of the freedom of e-speech would be a terrible thing. The Internet is public domain, and as such must remain open to the public being able to post or say whatever they want on their own sites. While an interesting thought, I think that this article would fall under conspiracy paranoia and is hardly a reality. The idea that the internet would become accessible only through government and corporate hubs to me seems hardly like reality.
As for the censorship the Rupert Murdoch places on MySpace, I do not think that the freedom of e-speech apply’s here. Rupert Murdoch owns MySpace, he can control what is or is not said on MySpace. The freedom of speech or here e-speech is protection from the government. The First Amendment protects us from government encroachment on our lives. Rupert Murdoch is not the government. He is the private owner of MySpace, and as such can determine what he wants on MySpace. If you do not like it, then don’t use MySpace. It’s that simple. Create your own website or use a different networking site. Unless the government starts stepping in and censoring what is said, then it is not the loss of the freedom of e-speech. The loss of the freedom of e-speech or any type of speech would be a terrible thing, but the MySpace censorship is not that loss. If you don’t like the fact that MySpace is censored, then don’t use it.
MySpace Is the Trojan Horse of Internet Censorship
March 16, 2006
by Paul Joseph Watson and Alex Jones
I really enjoyed this post as I myself am a huge proponent of sticking it to the man. I speak out as much as possible against the restriction of free speech on the internet as I feel it is the last true mode of communication where people can truly express themselves without (within limitations of speech) worrying about what they are saying and how they say it. Students, especially, fall under this category. They hear from everyone and anyone how they are wrong about even their feelings, let alone their actions, and the internet provides a space for them to vent without harming themselves or others. If there is a restriction on this beautiful mode of communication, it is just another way for a governmental body or other form of structure to gain control over the masses and how they are speaking their mind. Like Jefferson said “People should never fear their governments, governments should fear their people.”
~Dan
Jon-
I read with interest both your blog entry and the pertaining article. While I think internet censorship is a valid a valuable topic – I’m not so sure about these guys at PrisonPlanet.com. They seem a little over the top to me. I’ve wasted a lot of time on MySpace and I’m having trouble seeing where the censoring is happening. I know MySpace will break links to competing entities, because I’ve had to redo my non-MySpace music player more than a few times.
Now, I’m not a fan of Rupert Murdock and I enjoy a good opportunity to “stick it to the man,” but I don’t really see how MySpace is “Murdoch’s first step into internet censorship.” Unless you’re jumping into sci-fi land and there’s some sort of secret code in MySpace land, that one day will flip on an hypnotize us all so Murdock can take over the world, like a bad comic book?
I haven’t seen a whole lot of censoring going on I see God mentioned every where and the F-bomb everywhere sometimes in the same sentence.
So, I guess what I’m getting at, is I’d like these guys to give of some concrete examples to the censoring that’s happening. Otherwise, it’s just another conspiracy theory.
[...] :Jon: MySpace Censorship; the loss of freedom of e-speech? [...]
This is an issue dear to my heart, as my whole blog has dealt with students’ freedom of speech/press. So, some think that MySpace itself is censoring? I’ve never heard that before, and I agree with you that the article you are addressing seems a little “conspiracy theory” like. However, internet censorship, especially in schools is a very hot topic. Do you think that students should be able to use sites like MySpace in school? Should they be able to discuss hated teachers, etc. without fear of school consequences? What about using MySpace as a communication tool in a classroom? Let me know what you think.
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Truthful words, some authentic words dude. You made my day!