Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

CategoryCensorship

businesswoman-interviewed-for-a-podcast-stockpack-adobe-stoc-339828177-stockpack-adobe_stock
Businesswoman interviewed for a podcast

Information Imperialism: The Battle for Free Access Heats Up

Headline incidents are only one part of an international trend toward attempted government control of the news stream
Regardless of who emerges as the victor in the battle between government censors and independent creators, the traditional media landscape is now history. Read More ›
a-sticky-note-with-an-angry-face-drawn-on-it-by-a-disgruntle-734307859-stockpack-adobe_stock
a sticky note with an angry face drawn on it by a disgruntled employee

Facebook Ends Fact-Checking, Moves to Community Notes Format

Top executive admits that there was "too much political bias" at Facebook, Instagram, Threads…
For the social media user at X, the advantage of a Community Notes approach is that the volunteer contributors address specific claims, not overall worldviews. Read More ›
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Young scientist wearing a lab coat and protective glasses is adjusting a microscope while working late in a laboratory

At NIH, Bhattacharya Hopes to Restore Open Discussion in Science

In a recent interview, he seemed surprisingly conciliatory to those who attempted to ruin his career over his dissenting views on Covid.
What he most wants to advance is open discussion in science. Science, after all, advances more from doubt than from certainty. Read More ›
cancel-word-on-a-red-enter-key-of-the-black-pc-keyboard-conc-1178434965-stockpack-adobe_stock
Cancel word on a red enter key of the black pc keyboard. Concepts of cancel culture, ostracism and call-out culture social media and in the Internet. Computer enter key with message.

How Our Expert Classes Have Torpedoed Public Trust

Long time free speech advocate Greg Lukianoff and Angel Eduardo dissect the Cancel Culture that makes distrust a quite reasonable choice
All that said, it’s not villains who keep Cancel Culture going. It’s people for whom being Nice is far more important than telling the truth. Read More ›
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Woman putting red sign with words

NYT on COVID: Not “Badly Misled.” One of the Worst Misleaders!

The Times writer smears legitimate doubt by associating it with unnamed questionable persons and causes — that works if people don’t know the story
Legacy media are giving way to broader-based social media. But trust in science is also at a low ebb. And what’s the replacement for science? Read More ›
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handcuffs on the red book of laws. close-up. Black background.

Science Blogger: Make Violating “Scientific Consensus” a Crime

Attitudes like those expressed by Ethan Siegel have cost the scientific sector much of the public’s trust and goodwill.
A properly balanced relationship with expertise won’t be restored by imposing autocratic consensus rules. “Science” really needs less hubris and more humility. Read More ›
flames-devouring-an-open-book-illustrate-the-prohibition-of-1270000066-stockpack-adobe_stock
Flames devouring an open book illustrate the prohibition of free information, reflecting the dystopian vision of Fahrenheit 451, where classic paper literature is becoming obsolete

“60 Minutes” Segment Lauds Censorship

Free speech can indeed be "weaponized," but according to the founders of the United States, it was intended to be a weapon against government overreach.
People debate whether Huxley’s Brave New World or Orwell’s 1984 gives a clearer diagnosis of the Western malaise. Fahrenheit 451 should be in the conversation. Read More ›
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View of planet Earth with a medical mask on. Concep for world wide spread of Coronavirus desease

COVID: It’s Becoming Safe To Openly Admit the Facts

The days of “fact-checking,” aimed at getting everyone vaxxed, appear to be over. Just look at the significant recent admissions…
The CIA now admits that the lab leak theory of COVID's origin is a good bet and vaccine injuries are beginning to be more openly discussed. Read More ›
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Businessman holding a cloud of social media network icon

The Tech Giants Looming in the Background

The presence of these tech giants at Trump's inauguration signals a major "vibe shift" in the culture.
The Constitution guards against government interference in the speech of American citizens. Read More ›
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Canadian maple leaf flag seen flying half mast on a flag pole in northern Canada during fall, autumn season with stunning snow capped mountains in background.

Trudeau Resigns: Canada’s Media Control Bills Are Stymied For Now

Is the Woke war on reality beginning to stall? In Canada, it is a war not only on math, science, and biology, but also history
Bill C-413, which might criminalize honest scrutiny of extraordinary claims re residential schools, is part of a larger war on the primacy of fact over feelings Read More ›
influence-of-political-bias-in-media-reporting-and-its-impac-871933766-stockpack-adobe_stock
influence of political bias in media reporting and its impact on democracy

Facebook Fact-checkers, Facing Doom, Call Urgent Meeting

One possible interpretation is that Zuckerberg was as afraid of these freelance censors as anyone else and saw a chance to neutralize the threat
Seth Dillon notes that the goal of fact-checking isn't to eliminate misinformation but dissent, to make it impossible to challenge preferred narratives. Read More ›
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Digital screen with multiple media icons and a

Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook To Lighten Up on Censorship

He wants to move away from moderation and more towards a Community Notes approach
While some think he is merely placating Trump, we may well ask why he should WANT to impose government censorship on the social medium he had built up himself. Read More ›
people-with-tv-screens-on-the-brain-addicted-to-social-media-manipulation-and-mind-control-by-media-teenager-disconnected-to-reality-stockpack-adobe-stock
People with TV screens on the brain, addicted to social media, manipulation and mind control, by media, teenager disconnected to reality

Australia’s Social Media Ban: The Law of Forbidden Fruit

Where minors are concerned, restrict and talk — but don’t ban
Outright banning alone does not work and will not have the outcome its Aussie supporters believe it will. Give kids reasons for limits and rules. Read More ›
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ATM machine in a dimly lit area with ambient lights and signage.

Debanking May Be More Common Than We Realize

Sometimes the motive seems political — unrelated to concerns about creditworthiness or suspicion about illegal activities
Last March, it came out that the US Treasury Department had sent a list of “hate groups” to major US banks; more recently, a number of crypto firms were hit. Read More ›
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The Spread of Misinformation on Social Media, Examining the role of social media in the dissemination of false information and its consequences on society

Why Laws Against “Misinformation” Just Can’t Work

Australia has had to back down from fining social media companies for users' alleged misinformation
Government experts may not be better informed than non-government ones. Banning alternative information multiplies the effect of government misinformation. Read More ›
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Word Сanceled and hashtag sign on wood bloks with lettering on red background. Cancel culture concept. Copy space.

Could Cancel Culture Be Replaced By Something Worse?

Claims that it has "run its course" come too often from those who have abandoned their colleagues and merely hope not to be next themselves
Mahlburg on the open triumph of Cancel Culture: “not only is the emperor naked — he’s self-consciously streaking around the town square.” Read More ›
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Social media, cancel culture and women online, internet or influencer friends on a studio blue background. Negative, bad and graphic words for banned or fail for public or political opinion or voice

Cancel Culture Dissected by One of Its Victims

Researchers are beginning to study the sociology of Woke mobs demanding the firing or silencing of whoever vexes them — with some interesting results
Canadian lawyer Collin May looked at recent research on Cancel mobs and found that the witnesses in an institution tend to go along with the cancellation. Read More ›
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Wiki - word concept on cubes

What Went Wrong With Wikipedia — And Can It Be Fixed?

Many people may be unaware of Wikipedia's biases because they simply never hear information that is omitted both by mainstream media and by Wikipedia
Despite its neutrality claims, Wikipedia often refuses to use sources that may be the only ones providing accurate information on some sensitive topics. Read More ›
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Digital learning and global education concept

COSM: Wikipedia Co-Founder To Speak on Today’s Knowledge Risks

Larry Sanger is not a fan of the baked-in bias at Wikipedia today and wants to found an encyclosphere — like the blogosphere — instead

Larry Sanger, one of the founders of Wikipedia, will be speaking at COSM, Friday, November 1, at 10:30 am. His topic?: The increasingly pressing matter of preserving our knowledge. He should know. Originally a co-founder of Wikipedia, he has become increasingly critical of its role as a go-to source. In 2021, he warned, “If only one version of the facts is allowed then that gives a huge incentive to wealthy and powerful people to seize control of things like Wikipedia in order to shore up their power,” But let’s go back a bit Sanger, who has a Phd in philosophy (2000), was approached by entrepreneur Jimmy Wales that year to come to work for him on a project that evolved Read More ›