• The Sparx Tribune - Index
  • News
  • Original Reporting
  • Interviews With The Candidates
    • Meet William Hurst
    • Sema Hernandez Is Challenging Sen. John Cornyn In 2020 Election
    • Meet Daniel Whitfield
  • The Sparx Tribune Report
  • We Call It "The Establishment"
    • Priorities USA Action
  • Please Support The Sparx Tribune!
  • Contact SPARX
  • Democratic Debate, Round 2; Sanders Brings Fire To The Debate Stage
  • Free Speech
  • Niko House Claps Back After Drawing Fire...
  • Assange Indicted For Violating The Espionage Act
  • DNC Elites Plan Anti-Sanders Coalition
  • H.A. Goodman Challenges Mike Figueredo To Debate
  • Climate Change And Corporatocracy
  • More Than Resistors
  • CVS Health Swallowing The Healthcare Industry
  • Another Progressive Jumps Into Presidential Race
  • Sanders, Warren, Gabbard All Likely Contenders In The 2020 Election
  • Bomb Threats Made, Media Ordered To Remain Silent
  • 2020 Presidential Election Taking Shape
  • Social Media Platforms Censor Anti-Establishment Media
  • Crunch-Time For Canova Campaign
  • Former Progressive Challenger Endorses DNC Nominee For TX Senate
  • Socialist Challenges Sanders From The Left
  • New Progressive Group Fights For Jobs Guarantee
  • Northrop Grumman "Weighing In" On 2018 Elections
  • Kamala Harris Likely To Run In 2020
  • 4 States Held Primaries: The Results
  • Former Congressional Candidate Charged With Murder
  • Alex Jones Banned From Most Platforms
  • Lopez-Obrador Prepares To Ban Fracking
  • Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Wal-Mart
  • Progressive Candidate Maria Estrada Does Not Like Jews
  • To "D" Or Not To "D"
  • Corruption Story Unfolds In MI
  • California Braces For June 5th Primary
  • Green Party Candidate Faces Censorship
  • Sanders' Death Blow To The Democratic Party
  • AI Revolution Begs Constitutional Questions
  • Tim Canova Announces Run As An Independent
  • An Inflating Technological Oligarchy
  • New Red Scare Snowballs Into Massive Conspiracy
  • Electoral Politics Is Being Shaken
  • Northrop Grumman Developing Identification Systems
  • GreenPeace In Another Wave Of Legal Battles
  • DNC Fundraiser In Houston
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • The Duopoly Fights Over DACA
  • Smartphone Apps Are Recording Users
  • School Teacher Jailed For Verbal Dissent
  • Iranian Protests
  • Erica Garner Passes Away
  • Facebook Censorship Takes A Step Back
  • Congress Passes GOP Tax Bill
  • Media Consolidation and Journalistic Integrity
  • The Battle For Net Neutrality
  • Re-Hashing The Divide
  • Ableist Attitudes At A Tennessee Walgreens
  • Donna Brazile Turns Whistle-Blower?
  • Trump Targets Tax Reform
  • The War For The Soul Of The Left
  • Memorial To What?
  • Climate Change
  • Democratic Socialism
  • Hope For The Left
  • PC Culture & The Ideological Left
  • L'Anse Creuse Principal Violates Student's Privacy In Bathroom Stall
  • Rebecca Parson Challenges New Dem Chair Derek Kilmer
  • The Sparx Tribune - Index
  • News
  • Original Reporting
  • Interviews With The Candidates
    • Meet William Hurst
    • Sema Hernandez Is Challenging Sen. John Cornyn In 2020 Election
    • Meet Daniel Whitfield
  • The Sparx Tribune Report
  • We Call It "The Establishment"
    • Priorities USA Action
  • Please Support The Sparx Tribune!
  • Contact SPARX
  • Democratic Debate, Round 2; Sanders Brings Fire To The Debate Stage
  • Free Speech
  • Niko House Claps Back After Drawing Fire...
  • Assange Indicted For Violating The Espionage Act
  • DNC Elites Plan Anti-Sanders Coalition
  • H.A. Goodman Challenges Mike Figueredo To Debate
  • Climate Change And Corporatocracy
  • More Than Resistors
  • CVS Health Swallowing The Healthcare Industry
  • Another Progressive Jumps Into Presidential Race
  • Sanders, Warren, Gabbard All Likely Contenders In The 2020 Election
  • Bomb Threats Made, Media Ordered To Remain Silent
  • 2020 Presidential Election Taking Shape
  • Social Media Platforms Censor Anti-Establishment Media
  • Crunch-Time For Canova Campaign
  • Former Progressive Challenger Endorses DNC Nominee For TX Senate
  • Socialist Challenges Sanders From The Left
  • New Progressive Group Fights For Jobs Guarantee
  • Northrop Grumman "Weighing In" On 2018 Elections
  • Kamala Harris Likely To Run In 2020
  • 4 States Held Primaries: The Results
  • Former Congressional Candidate Charged With Murder
  • Alex Jones Banned From Most Platforms
  • Lopez-Obrador Prepares To Ban Fracking
  • Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Wal-Mart
  • Progressive Candidate Maria Estrada Does Not Like Jews
  • To "D" Or Not To "D"
  • Corruption Story Unfolds In MI
  • California Braces For June 5th Primary
  • Green Party Candidate Faces Censorship
  • Sanders' Death Blow To The Democratic Party
  • AI Revolution Begs Constitutional Questions
  • Tim Canova Announces Run As An Independent
  • An Inflating Technological Oligarchy
  • New Red Scare Snowballs Into Massive Conspiracy
  • Electoral Politics Is Being Shaken
  • Northrop Grumman Developing Identification Systems
  • GreenPeace In Another Wave Of Legal Battles
  • DNC Fundraiser In Houston
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • The Duopoly Fights Over DACA
  • Smartphone Apps Are Recording Users
  • School Teacher Jailed For Verbal Dissent
  • Iranian Protests
  • Erica Garner Passes Away
  • Facebook Censorship Takes A Step Back
  • Congress Passes GOP Tax Bill
  • Media Consolidation and Journalistic Integrity
  • The Battle For Net Neutrality
  • Re-Hashing The Divide
  • Ableist Attitudes At A Tennessee Walgreens
  • Donna Brazile Turns Whistle-Blower?
  • Trump Targets Tax Reform
  • The War For The Soul Of The Left
  • Memorial To What?
  • Climate Change
  • Democratic Socialism
  • Hope For The Left
  • PC Culture & The Ideological Left
  • L'Anse Creuse Principal Violates Student's Privacy In Bathroom Stall
  • Rebecca Parson Challenges New Dem Chair Derek Kilmer

Facebook Backpedals From Its Recent Propensity For Censorship

Picture

 Facebook has, in recent weeks, revealed a propensity for data collection, collusion with the federal government against the citizens (in the name of "democracy", mind you), and flagging/blocking content that they deem as "fake news". They have, albeit partially, taken a step back.

Picture
       It would seem at first glance to be an honorable thing to "fight disinformation". To catch those in the act of spreading lies and deceit, and stop it before it spreads-but wait. What does it mean to catch disinformation? It automatically signals an autonomous body capable of deeming any article as "false" if there is a more common website that disagrees. 


Replacing Disputed Flags With Related Articles

       In a move that "USA Today" decided to title a "Facebook fail", the social media mogul has decided to ditch its propensity for flagging and censorship, and instead, bring up "related articles" that go against the premise of the article in your "news" feed, or, as stated by Facebook's press release on the matter, "to give people more context about the story". Facebook has hinted however within the same press release that while the "disputed flag" is no longer, censorship (penalizing/demoting content) in general still is, as they state, "one of our greatest weapons". They continue to boast, "demoted articles generally lose 80% of their traffic". Apparently, the idea of replacing flagged content with "related articles" found its beginnings early in the year, as it began as a "test" in April. One could only assume therefore, that the results of the test deemed that the best results come when readers are critical thinkers. 

skeptic

The Answer Is Skepticism

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       In "Designing Against Misinformation" Facebook creators wrote that "Dispelling misinformation is challenging. Just because something is marked as 'false' or 'disputed', doesn't necessarily mean we will be able to change someone's opinion about its accuracy." This is true. For some of the more conspiratorially minded, it may even act as a stamp of truth. Albeit they continue by pointing out that for an article to be marked as "disputed" required 2 fact-checkers, and then immediately thereafter point out that "There are also the rare circumstances when 2 fact-checking organizations disagree about the rating for a given article". The dispute, in other words, is disputed. Great. Meanwhile, they are prepared to "penalize" the content on  my Facebook page instead of allowing me to be a critical thinker, and decide where I wish to receive my information, and whom I decide to trust.


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  The Sparx Tribune
  • The Sparx Tribune - Index
  • News
  • Original Reporting
  • Interviews With The Candidates
    • Meet William Hurst
    • Sema Hernandez Is Challenging Sen. John Cornyn In 2020 Election
    • Meet Daniel Whitfield
  • The Sparx Tribune Report
  • We Call It "The Establishment"
    • Priorities USA Action
  • Please Support The Sparx Tribune!
  • Contact SPARX
  • Democratic Debate, Round 2; Sanders Brings Fire To The Debate Stage
  • Free Speech
  • Niko House Claps Back After Drawing Fire...
  • Assange Indicted For Violating The Espionage Act
  • DNC Elites Plan Anti-Sanders Coalition
  • H.A. Goodman Challenges Mike Figueredo To Debate
  • Climate Change And Corporatocracy
  • More Than Resistors
  • CVS Health Swallowing The Healthcare Industry
  • Another Progressive Jumps Into Presidential Race
  • Sanders, Warren, Gabbard All Likely Contenders In The 2020 Election
  • Bomb Threats Made, Media Ordered To Remain Silent
  • 2020 Presidential Election Taking Shape
  • Social Media Platforms Censor Anti-Establishment Media
  • Crunch-Time For Canova Campaign
  • Former Progressive Challenger Endorses DNC Nominee For TX Senate
  • Socialist Challenges Sanders From The Left
  • New Progressive Group Fights For Jobs Guarantee
  • Northrop Grumman "Weighing In" On 2018 Elections
  • Kamala Harris Likely To Run In 2020
  • 4 States Held Primaries: The Results
  • Former Congressional Candidate Charged With Murder
  • Alex Jones Banned From Most Platforms
  • Lopez-Obrador Prepares To Ban Fracking
  • Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Wal-Mart
  • Progressive Candidate Maria Estrada Does Not Like Jews
  • To "D" Or Not To "D"
  • Corruption Story Unfolds In MI
  • California Braces For June 5th Primary
  • Green Party Candidate Faces Censorship
  • Sanders' Death Blow To The Democratic Party
  • AI Revolution Begs Constitutional Questions
  • Tim Canova Announces Run As An Independent
  • An Inflating Technological Oligarchy
  • New Red Scare Snowballs Into Massive Conspiracy
  • Electoral Politics Is Being Shaken
  • Northrop Grumman Developing Identification Systems
  • GreenPeace In Another Wave Of Legal Battles
  • DNC Fundraiser In Houston
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • The Duopoly Fights Over DACA
  • Smartphone Apps Are Recording Users
  • School Teacher Jailed For Verbal Dissent
  • Iranian Protests
  • Erica Garner Passes Away
  • Facebook Censorship Takes A Step Back
  • Congress Passes GOP Tax Bill
  • Media Consolidation and Journalistic Integrity
  • The Battle For Net Neutrality
  • Re-Hashing The Divide
  • Ableist Attitudes At A Tennessee Walgreens
  • Donna Brazile Turns Whistle-Blower?
  • Trump Targets Tax Reform
  • The War For The Soul Of The Left
  • Memorial To What?
  • Climate Change
  • Democratic Socialism
  • Hope For The Left
  • PC Culture & The Ideological Left
  • L'Anse Creuse Principal Violates Student's Privacy In Bathroom Stall
  • Rebecca Parson Challenges New Dem Chair Derek Kilmer
  • The Sparx Tribune - Index
  • News
  • Original Reporting
  • Interviews With The Candidates
    • Meet William Hurst
    • Sema Hernandez Is Challenging Sen. John Cornyn In 2020 Election
    • Meet Daniel Whitfield
  • The Sparx Tribune Report
  • We Call It "The Establishment"
    • Priorities USA Action
  • Please Support The Sparx Tribune!
  • Contact SPARX
  • Democratic Debate, Round 2; Sanders Brings Fire To The Debate Stage
  • Free Speech
  • Niko House Claps Back After Drawing Fire...
  • Assange Indicted For Violating The Espionage Act
  • DNC Elites Plan Anti-Sanders Coalition
  • H.A. Goodman Challenges Mike Figueredo To Debate
  • Climate Change And Corporatocracy
  • More Than Resistors
  • CVS Health Swallowing The Healthcare Industry
  • Another Progressive Jumps Into Presidential Race
  • Sanders, Warren, Gabbard All Likely Contenders In The 2020 Election
  • Bomb Threats Made, Media Ordered To Remain Silent
  • 2020 Presidential Election Taking Shape
  • Social Media Platforms Censor Anti-Establishment Media
  • Crunch-Time For Canova Campaign
  • Former Progressive Challenger Endorses DNC Nominee For TX Senate
  • Socialist Challenges Sanders From The Left
  • New Progressive Group Fights For Jobs Guarantee
  • Northrop Grumman "Weighing In" On 2018 Elections
  • Kamala Harris Likely To Run In 2020
  • 4 States Held Primaries: The Results
  • Former Congressional Candidate Charged With Murder
  • Alex Jones Banned From Most Platforms
  • Lopez-Obrador Prepares To Ban Fracking
  • Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Wal-Mart
  • Progressive Candidate Maria Estrada Does Not Like Jews
  • To "D" Or Not To "D"
  • Corruption Story Unfolds In MI
  • California Braces For June 5th Primary
  • Green Party Candidate Faces Censorship
  • Sanders' Death Blow To The Democratic Party
  • AI Revolution Begs Constitutional Questions
  • Tim Canova Announces Run As An Independent
  • An Inflating Technological Oligarchy
  • New Red Scare Snowballs Into Massive Conspiracy
  • Electoral Politics Is Being Shaken
  • Northrop Grumman Developing Identification Systems
  • GreenPeace In Another Wave Of Legal Battles
  • DNC Fundraiser In Houston
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • The Duopoly Fights Over DACA
  • Smartphone Apps Are Recording Users
  • School Teacher Jailed For Verbal Dissent
  • Iranian Protests
  • Erica Garner Passes Away
  • Facebook Censorship Takes A Step Back
  • Congress Passes GOP Tax Bill
  • Media Consolidation and Journalistic Integrity
  • The Battle For Net Neutrality
  • Re-Hashing The Divide
  • Ableist Attitudes At A Tennessee Walgreens
  • Donna Brazile Turns Whistle-Blower?
  • Trump Targets Tax Reform
  • The War For The Soul Of The Left
  • Memorial To What?
  • Climate Change
  • Democratic Socialism
  • Hope For The Left
  • PC Culture & The Ideological Left
  • L'Anse Creuse Principal Violates Student's Privacy In Bathroom Stall
  • Rebecca Parson Challenges New Dem Chair Derek Kilmer
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