Snowden: Stop Relying on Facebook for Your News
I am more than a little disappointed in Snowden for falling for this gambit.  Blaming the &quot;fake news on the internet&quot; for the loss to Trump is just the Left&#x27;s way to divert attention to their own failures to report fairly or even try to understand his popularity without dismissing or smearing everyone as racists, homo-phobes and misogynists. This latest post-election narrative is a ploy, and if it gains any traction, it will allow the Left to avoid the mea culpa&#x27;s and soul-searching that they need in order reclaim their shredded credibility.<p>Far more importantly, especially for the denizens of HN, is that this call to regulate and control the news on the internet cannot be used to institute government controls, licensing, &quot;pressure&quot; or threats, etc. as a solution. Private companies cannot practice censorship so Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Breitbart, etc. are all free to establish their own policies on what to carry on their properties.  This is far far different from the government becoming the arbiter of what is &quot;fake&quot; or not or what is politically or socially acceptable or not and then using the power of the state to silence you with threats, fines, jail or even death (in some countries) if you anger the gang in power.  Keep a close eye on any FCC proposals because now that they have regulatory control over the internet[1] the legal authority is already in place to censor the internet. If they start floating regulations or even &quot;suggestions&quot; that claim we have to vet the &quot;news&quot; for the &quot;public-good&quot; look out[2]. You have been warned.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nytimes.com&#x2F;2015&#x2F;02&#x2F;27&#x2F;technology&#x2F;net-neutrality-fcc-vote-internet-utility.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nytimes.com&#x2F;2015&#x2F;02&#x2F;27&#x2F;technology&#x2F;net-neutrality-...</a><p>[2] &quot;The Property Status of Airwaves&quot; by Ayn Rand &quot;Now observe the practical demonstration of the fact that without property rights, no other rights are possible. If censorship and the suppression of free speech ever get established in this country, they will have originated in radio and television&quot; [i.e. via the FCC]. In &quot;Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal&quot;  <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.criminalgovernment.com&#x2F;docs&#x2F;aynrand.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.criminalgovernment.com&#x2F;docs&#x2F;aynrand.html</a>