24.11.2016 - 05:12 [ Techdirt ]

Facebook, China, Fake News And The Slippery Slope Of Censorship

Well, I guess it‘s time to complete the circle. Last week, we were warning that the rush to demonize Facebook for allowing „fake news“ to be distributed and shared via its platform would lead to calls to suppress and censor certain view points. And then, this week came the news that China is strategically and opportunistically using the hubbub over „fake news“ to push for greater censorship of the internet — claiming it‘s necessary to stop fake news and keep people „better“ informed (rather than the opposite).