The Internet
Facebook escalates social media censorship with shutdown of far-right accounts
By Kevin Reed, 4 May 2019
While the far-right has the backing of powerful factions of the state and the ruling class, the move by Facebook creates a precedent for the overt censorship of left-wing organizations.
“Today’s protest is a symbol of the fight for freedom”
French Yellow Vests join Assange extradition protest in London
By our reporters, 3 May 2019
WSWS reporters spoke to demonstrators outside Westminster Magistrates Court protesting plans to extradite the WikiLeaks founder to the US.
“Assange can only be defended by an international movement of the working class”
Christoph Vandreier speaks at Berlin rally to defend Julian Assange
By Christoph Vandreier, 27 April 2019
Christoph Vandreier, Deputy National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party in Germany and a candidate in the European elections, addressed a rally in front of the Ecuadorian embassy in Berlin in defense of the Wikileaks publisher.
Formerly-jailed Australian journalist Peter Greste fronts corporate media attack on Julian Assange
By Mike Head, 20 April 2019
Peter Greste, once incarcerated by the US-backed Egyptian junta, is using his reputation as a victim of attacks on press freedom to support the Washington-led efforts to suppress WikiLeaks.
Worldwide outrage over arrest of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange
By Niles Niemuth, 12 April 2019
After nearly seven years of confinement to the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Assange now faces the possibility of a year in a UK prison and extradition to the United States.
Amid corruption scandals and deals with IMF and Washington, Ecuador’s government betrays Assange
By Bill Van Auken, 12 April 2019
The handing over of Assange to his British and US persecutors is part of a sharp drive to the right by the corruption-stained government of Lenín Moreno.
Free Julian Assange!
By Statement of the World Socialist Web Site Editorial Board, 12 April 2019
The World Socialist Web Site emphatically condemns the forcible seizure and arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
European Union intensifies internet censorship
By Justus Leicht and Johannes Stern, 27 March 2019
Two months before the European elections, the European Parliament has pushed through a directive to enforce the use of so-called upload filters in social media, thus further censoring the internet.
Australian government exploits fascist atrocity in New Zealand to push online censorship
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 March 2019
The entire political establishment is seeking to cover up its responsibility for the fascist attack and exploit it to crack down on the democratic rights of ordinary people.
Putin signs Russian internet censorship bills into law
By Clara Weiss, 22 March 2019
The two laws are part of an international campaign by the ruling class to crack down on the internet.
IYSSE holds rally at University of Michigan to defend Chelsea Manning
By the International Youth and Students for Social Equality at University of Michigan, 14 March 2019
The rally at the University of Michigan advanced an international strategy to mobilize youth, students and the broadest layers of the working class against the imprisonment of Chelsea Manning.
Mark Zuckerberg’s “Privacy Manifesto”: A brief for intensifying Internet and social media censorship
By Kevin Reed, 12 March 2019
The new vision for Facebook published by Mark Zuckerberg on March 6 is part of the response by the ruling elite to the role that social media is playing in the growth of class struggle internationally.
Uganda’s social media tax leads to sharp drop in internet users
By Eddie Haywood, 9 March 2019
The government of President Yoweri Museveni, in power for three decades, regards social media with intense hostility and suspicion.
Greetings from the Sri Lankan Abbotsleigh Estate Workers Action Committee to the Assange defence rallies in Australia
2 March 2019
Tea plantation workers struggling for decent working conditions have expressed their solidarity with the fight to free WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange.
Alleging “Russian influence,” Facebook bans left-wing pages
By Andy Thompson, 20 February 2019
Facebook suspended four pages run by Maffick Media, including In the Now, Soapbox, Back Then and Waste-Ed, which posted content critical of US foreign and social policy.
Award-winning journalist Chris Hedges endorses Free Assange demonstrations in Australia
16 February 2019
“It is imperative that we pressure the Australian government to make sure its citizen, Julian Assange, is protected from the lawlessness of the American empire.”
The Matamoros auto strike and internet censorship
By Andre Damon, 24 January 2019
The ongoing strike by over 70,000 workers in Matamoros, Mexico has been met with a media blackout by the major print and broadcast outlets.
Indian government foreshadows harsher internet surveillance and censorship
By Wasantha Rupasinghe, 18 January 2019
The planned laws are part of vast array of anti-democratic measures being introduced by governments internationally to target and spy on internet users.
After attempted coup in Gabon, government imposes internet and media broadcast blackout
By Eddie Haywood, 11 January 2019
The imposition of a complete blackout of internet and broadcast services has long been utilized as a tool of repression by the Bongo government.
Der Spiegel’s counterfeit journalism and the campaign against “fake news”
By Peter Schwarz, 31 December 2018
The unmasking of a counterfeiter in the editorial offices of the German newsweekly Der Spiegel has exposed the manipulation of public opinion by the so-called authoritative media.
Facebook: The global censor
By Andre Damon, 29 December 2018
This year has seen an intensification of internet censorship by Google, Facebook and Twitter, transforming these companies into censors that police what their users say, do and think.
US media demands stepped-up domestic spying over Russian “meddling”
New York Times: Back to the good days before Edward Snowden!
By Andre Damon, 20 December 2018
In a revealing comment, the New York Times argues that the present hysteria over Russian “subversion” can roll back the impact of Edward Snowden’s revelation of illegal mass government surveillance.
A closer look at American “democracy”
By Barry Grey, 20 December 2018
The population is given the opportunity every two or four years to go to the polls and vote for one or the other corporate-controlled party. This is what is called “democracy.”
Australian parliamentary inquiry discusses intensifying internet censorship
By Oscar Grenfell, 27 November 2018
The hearing pointed to the political establishment seeking to suppress mounting opposition to war, austerity and authoritarianism.
Sri Lanka: UNP demands Facebook protect identity of party supporters
By Wasantha Rupasinghe, 21 November 2018
UNP allegations that state authorities could be collaborating with Facebook to target its supporters came amid escalating infighting within the Sri Lankan political elite.
Facebook hires former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
By Joe Mount, 16 November 2018
Clegg joins Facebook at a time when it is censoring socialist, left-wing and oppositional web sites, including the closure of hundreds of such sites over the last several weeks.
Washington’s censorship regime goes global
Facebook deletes WSWS post on Sri Lanka
By Andre Damon, 14 November 2018
Facebook is acting as an agent of the US intelligence agencies, which see the growing audience for international socialism as an obstacle to their efforts to exploit ethnic divisions in developing countries.
As Trump administration prepares to withdraw from nuclear missile treaty
US charges new Russian conspiracy to interfere in midterm elections
By Will Morrow, 20 October 2018
The charges have been released without the slightest evidence, but have immediately been accepted as gospel and amplified by the American media.
The “new cold war,” censorship, and the future of the internet
By Andre Damon, 17 October 2018
The internet is becoming a battleground for economic and geopolitical conflict, while states, acting on behalf of capitalist elites, are seeking to censor online information.
Facebook’s purge of left-wing media: A frontal assault on freedom of speech
By Andre Damon, 15 October 2018
The social media monopoly’s removal of left-wing news pages with millions of followers is the latest step in a conspiracy by the state and the technology giants to censor the internet.
Pages purged by Facebook were on blacklist promoted by Washington Post
By Andre Damon, 13 October 2018
PropOrNot, an organization that published a blacklist of oppositional media organizations in 2016, hailed Facebook’s actions as the precursor to shutting down the targeted organizations' web sites.
Facebook carries out massive purge of oppositional pages
By Andre Damon, 12 October 2018
In a sweeping assault on democratic rights, Facebook has carried out a purge of oppositional media pages with millions of followers.
50 million user accounts hacked in Facebook data breach
By Kevin Reed, 5 October 2018
Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Facebook’s “View As” feature to gain access to user account details.
European Union announces draconian internet censorship measures
By Thomas Scripps, 20 September 2018
The new EU law will formalise even closer relationships between state security services and tech companies.
A warning to the working class
Facebook’s partnership with the Atlantic Council
By Kevin Reed, 8 September 2018
The campaign against “fake news,” “election meddling” and “disinformation” is emerging as the integration of the social media monopolies with the US military-intelligence apparatus.
New York Times covers up Google’s censorship
By Andre Damon, 7 September 2018
The Times’ report on allegations that Google is censoring the Internet is a white-wash, echoing the company’s self-serving denials without any serious examination of the facts.
Google shuts down YouTube channels in expansion of state-directed online censorship
By Kevin Reed, 25 August 2018
Google announced on Thursday that it had shut down 58 social media accounts that the company claimed were part of an Iranian government-sponsored “influence campaign.”
Facebook censors Telesur and Venezuela Analysis
By Andrea Lobo, 17 August 2018
As the Trump administration escalates its onslaught against Venezuela, technology corporations are stepping up censorship of sites critical of US policy.
Facebook censors anti-fascist rally in Washington
By Andre Damon, 2 August 2018
The campaign to censor the internet, initially presented as a response to alleged Russian “meddling,” is increasingly targeting left-wing political viewpoints.
Resolution of the SEP (US) Fifth National Congress
Free Julian Assange!
2 August 2018
This resolution was unanimously adopted by the Socialist Equality Party Congress, held July 22–27.
Court sanction of AT&T-Time Warner merger strengthens corporate grip on news and entertainment
By Barry Grey, 13 June 2018
Coming just one day after the termination of net neutrality, the federal court ruling sets the stage for the further consolidation of monopoly control and suppression of oppositional points of view.
University of Michigan Center for Social Media Responsibility provides cover for Internet censorship campaign
By Sam Wayne and Genevieve Leigh, 13 June 2018
The new program has been established to provide the theoretical backing and material resources needed to further the ongoing efforts to censor the Internet.
German Green Party leader Joschka Fischer promotes militarism and war
By Johannes Stern, 24 May 2018
Fischer is leading the campaign for a massive increase in the German defence budget and an aggressive imperialist foreign policy.
Ecuador hints it may hand over Julian Assange to Britain and the US
By James Cogan, 12 May 2018
There is almost universal and reprehensible silence on the part of organisations and individuals that once claimed to defend Assange and WikiLeaks.
Google, Amazon assist in blocking encrypted communications
By Will Morrow, 10 May 2018
Google and Amazon are assisting authoritarian governments in the Middle East aligned with Washington to censor the Internet and prevent the use of encrypted communications by their populations.
Facebook intensifies censorship ahead of congressional testimony by Zuckerberg
By Andre Damon, 9 April 2018
Zuckerberg announced Friday that his company will “require people who manage large pages to be verified,” i.e., they must provide the company, and by extension the US government, with their real names and locations.
Capitalism and the artificial intelligence revolution
By Andre Damon, 6 April 2018
Google’s collaboration in the US government’s drone murder program expresses how the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology—with its vast potential for the enrichment of humanity—is being corrupted under capitalism.
Claims by Cambridge Analytica whistleblower used for new electoral investigation into Brexit
By Julie Hyland, 3 April 2018
The Electoral Commission’s latest investigation testifies to the deep tensions within the British bourgeoisie over Brexit.
Cambridge Analytica used harvested data from 50 million Facebook profiles
By Kevin Reed, 21 March 2018
The revelations of the data harvesting operation has exposed the use of social media information for manipulative aims by political campaign organizations in the United States.
West Virginia, the class struggle and the fight against Internet censorship
By Jerry White, 12 March 2018
The widespread use of social media by the West Virginia teachers and the growth of the class struggle internationally make clear why the US government and Silicon Valley tech giants want to censor the Internet.
US Federal Communications Commission sets end date for net neutrality
By Will Morrow, 24 February 2018
Beginning on April 23, multibillion-dollar corporations such as Comcast and AT&T; will be able to restrict access to or completely censor web sites.
From Facebook to Policebook
By Andre Damon, 2 February 2018
Facebook is being transformed into an instrument of censorship and surveillance, monitoring the actions and thoughts of its users.
In letter to Congress, social media companies outline plans for mass censorship
By Will Morrow, 31 January 2018
The technology giants are hiring thousands more human reviewers and developing artificial intelligence algorithms to monitor and censor political speech on the internet.
Full transcript: “Organizing Resistance to Internet Censorship”
By the World Socialist Web Site, 25 January 2018
The following is an edited transcript of the January 16 webinar “Organizing Resistance to Internet Censorship,” featuring journalist Chris Hedges and WSWS Chairperson David North.
“Fake news” hysteria set to take center stage in Brazil’s October elections
By Miguel Andrade, 24 January 2018
In joining the global crusade against “fake news,” the Brazilian authorities are preparing to rely on a dictatorship-era National Security Law to censor oppositional news and opinion.
Facebook details plans to censor news feeds and manipulate public opinion
By Andre Damon, 24 January 2018
In the guise of combating “social polarization,” Facebook is creating a framework for censorship, the dissemination of government propaganda, and the mass manipulation of public opinion.
For an international coalition to fight Internet censorship
An open letter from the International Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site to socialist, anti-war, left-wing and progressive websites, organizations and activists
23 January 2018
An open letter from the International Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site to socialist, antiwar, left-wing and progressive websites, organizations and activists
Facebook and Google outline unprecedented mass censorship at US Senate hearing
By Andre Damon, 18 January 2018
Facebook is planning to double its army of censors to nearly 20,000 people by the end of this year, a company official told lawmakers Thursday.
Statement to the World Socialist Web Site webinar
Julian Assange calls effort of corporations to control Internet discourse “an existential threat to humanity”
18 January 2018
This statement was sent by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the January 16 webinar, “Organizing Resistance to Internet Censorship.”
World Socialist Web Site calls for international coalition of socialist and anti-war websites to counter Internet censorship
By Niles Niemuth, 18 January 2018
The WSWS hosted a livestreamed discussion between David North and Chris Hedges that reviewed the political context of the efforts to censor the Internet and the necessary steps for an effective fight-back.
Trump administration escalates attack on data encryption
By Will Morrow, 17 January 2018
In a sign that the White House is moving to criminalize encryption, deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein argued that “warrant-proof” files are unconstitutional.
Statement by Julian Assange opposing Internet censorship will be read at WSWS “Organizing Resistance” Webinar
16 January 2018
The webinar featuring David North and Chris Hedges will be broadcast live on January 16 at 7:00 pm EST.
Facebook blocks sharing of WSWS anti-censorship video
By Eric London, 15 January 2018
The social media giant has blocked users from sharing a video promoting the January 16 online meeting “Organizing resistance to Internet censorship.”
Research teams confirm “Meltdown” and “Spectre” attacks
Computer systems worldwide exposed to data theft due to CPU design flaws
By Mike Ingram, 12 January 2018
Major design flaws in computer processors allow access to the entire physical memory of computers containing sensitive information such as passwords.
Freedom for Julian Assange!
By Bill Van Auken, 11 January 2018
The “untenable” conditions under which the WikiLeaks founder remains confined are the product of an unrelenting drive by the US and British governments to punish him for exposing the crimes of imperialism.
“The matter is urgent; voices must be raised!”
Documentarian John Pilger issues statement of support for January 16 webinar, “Organizing resistance to Internet censorship”
11 January 2018
This statement was sent by the award-winning journalist and documentarian in support of the online discussion featuring Chris Hedges and David North.
Facebook deleted accounts at the behest of US, Israeli and German governments
By Niles Niemuth, 4 January 2018
The social media company has deleted the accounts of Palestinian activists. journalists and the former leader of Chechnya in a campaign of international political censorship.
Germany’s “Network Enforcement Law” goes into effect: A move to censor the Internet
By Johannes Stern, 4 January 2018
The new law is part of an international offensive to attack free speech online, aimed at suppressing left-wing and socialist views.
Polls shows mass opposition to net neutrality repeal
By Kevin Reed, 21 December 2017
In the week since the FCC vote to end net neutrality, the nature of the attack on the public and the democratic right to a free and open internet is becoming clearer.
The end of net neutrality and the fight to defend the free internet
By Andre Damon, 15 December 2017
Thursday’s move by the US government to end net neutrality seeks to usher in an age when corporations and the government decide what people can and cannot access online.
Google hiring 10,000 reviewers to censor YouTube content
By Zaida Green, 8 December 2017
The video-sharing platform has already removed over 150,000 videos, with 50 percent of videos removed within two hours of upload.
Behind the FCC plan to abolish net neutrality
Broadband monopolies to censor Internet content
By Kevin Reed, 5 December 2017
The FCC plan to repeal previous net neutrality standards enables the ISP monopolies to further their business interests while enabling censorship at a fundamental level of Internet infrastructure.
FCC plan to repeal “net neutrality” gives telecom giants control of public access to Internet
By Kevin Reed, 23 November 2017
The anti-democratic plan to deregulate the US Internet infrastructure will enable privately-owned US broadband providers to control public access to online content.
Google’s Eric Schmidt admits political censorship of search results
By Niles Niemuth, 22 November 2017
Remarks by the executive chairman of Google’s parent company about efforts to “de-rank” news sites critical of the US government expose the corporate-government conspiracy to block oppositional voices on the Internet.
The Democrats’ McCarthyite witch hunt
By Andre Damon, 3 November 2017
This week’s congressional hearings on “extremist content” mark a new stage in the campaign by congressional Democrats, working with the intelligence agencies and leading media outlets, to legitimize censorship and criminalize dissent.
US Congressional hearing:
Former FBI agent says tech companies must “silence” sources of “rebellion”
By Andre Damon, 1 November 2017
Advocating stepped-up censorship of the Internet, Clint Watts, a former US Army officer and FBI agent, declared, “Civil wars don’t start with gunshots, they start with words.”
US congressional hearings on “extremist content” prepare assault on free speech
By Andre Damon, 31 October 2017
This week, US tech companies will report to Congress on their moves to limit “extremist content” on the Internet as part of the anti-Russian witch hunt, which is increasingly targeting the First Amendment.
Google escalates blacklisting of left-wing web sites and journalists
By Andre Damon, 20 October 2017
In a sweeping expansion of its moves to censor the Internet, Google has blacklisted leading left-wing websites and journalists from its news aggregation platform.
The conspiracy to censor the Internet
By Andre Damon and Joseph Kishore, 18 October 2017
US intelligence agencies, media outlets and Democratic Party operatives are turning the witch-hunt against Russia into the justification for a far-reaching attack on free speech.
The New York Times and the criminalization of dissent
By Joseph Kishore, 11 October 2017
The unsubstantiated charges of Russian interference in the US elections have developed into an increasingly frenzied campaign to ascribe all opposition within the United States to the actions of a “foreign enemy.”
British government prepares further draconian legislation to censor Internet
By Steve James, 10 October 2017
Rudd’s initial focus is on clamping down on opposition to British imperialism’s predatory wars in the Middle East, but this will inevitably be extended to cover all anti-war sentiment and commentary.
Germany’s Network Enforcement Act: Legal framework for censorship of the Internet
By Katerina Selin, 5 October 2017
The assumption behind the law, which took effect October 1, is that companies will delete controversial posts rather than risk severe financial penalties.
The New York Times reports World Socialist Web Site charge of Google censorship and blacklisting
By Andre Damon, 2 October 2017
The Times’ article is the first detailed report in the US mainstream media of Google’s manipulation of searches to bar access to left-wing sites.
US Justice Department demands Facebook turn over information on anti-administration activists
By Trévon Austin, 30 September 2017
Private account information on thousands of Facebook users could be handed over to the government as a result of the warrants.
US Department of Homeland Security to track all immigrants’ social media accounts
By Jake Dean, 29 September 2017
The DHS’s invasive surveillance and data gathering operation will cover all immigrants, including green card holders and naturalized citizens.
Facebook turns over information on Russia-linked accounts to Special Counsel Mueller
By Patrick Martin, 19 September 2017
The investigation into alleged Russian interference in the US election and Trump campaign collusion is being used to justify a crackdown on the Internet.
Google intensifies censorship of left-wing websites
By Andre Damon, 19 September 2017
New statistics expose the growing impact of Google’s attack on free speech.
Anger mounts over consumer credit data hack
What is Equifax and why does it have personal information on half the American population?
By Kevin Reed, 15 September 2017
Credit ratings agencies serve a critical function for the financial elite, collecting information on every individual to determine a “credit score,” used to extract as much money as possible from the working class.
New York Times stokes anti-Russia campaign to promote Facebook, Twitter censorship
By Bill Van Auken, 12 September 2017
Invoking an alleged Russian menace to American democracy, the New York Times is spearheading a campaign for a crackdown on political expression on social media.
Personal data of 143 million US consumers compromised in massive Equifax server hack
By Kevin Reed, 11 September 2017
The $18 billion corporation had its servers hacked, covered up the breach for two-and-a-half months, and still claims to not know what happened.
Forbes writer says Google censored report on manipulation of search traffic
By Andre Damon, 8 September 2017
Journalist Kashmir Hill faced a backlash from the tech giant after she reported that Google threatened to demote search results for sites that did not link to its ill-fated social media network.
Antimonopoly researchers say Google CEO pressured leading think tank to fire them
By Andre Damon, 2 September 2017
The researchers, who had criticized Google, said in a statement that the tech giant is “trying to censor journalists and researchers who fight dangerous monopolies.”
DreamHost ordered to hand over data on anti-Trump website: The criminalization of political dissent
By Joseph Kishore, 26 August 2017
The court decision that DreamHost must turn over information on the individuals associated with disruptj20.org is a chilling assault on free speech.
German government raids and shuts down left-wing Indymedia site
By Johannes Stern, 26 August 2017
The shutdown of linksunten.indymedia.org is the latest step in a crackdown on left-wing politics in Germany ahead of the upcoming federal election.
Internet censorship goes beyond Google
Facebook, Youtube, other tech giants launch joint, state-backed censorship programs
By Zac Corrigan, 24 August 2017
Google's fake search results are the spearhead of a much wider campaign by an entire fraternity of state-aligned tech giants to censor political speech on the Internet.
More than two thousand sign petition to stop Google censorship
By Zac Corrigan, 22 August 2017
The number of signatures jumped over the weekend, after WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange tweeted a link to the WSWS’s exposure of Google’s actions.
Trump administration demands Internet records on 1.3 million political opponents
By Don Barrett and Niles Niemuth, 17 August 2017
The Justice Department has filed a warrant demanding emails, visitor logs, contact information and photographs relating to the website that coordinated protests at the January 20 presidential inauguration.
Facebook establishes new censorship centre in Germany
By Christoph Vandreier, 11 August 2017
In the autumn, Internet company Facebook will open a new censorship centre employing 500 people in Essen, Germany.
The hacking of HBO and the “Russian meddling” campaign
By Barry Grey, 10 August 2017
The massive hack of HBO is but the latest case demonstrating the proliferation of hacker groups all over the world that employ advanced technology to successfully attack giant corporations.
Apple, Amazon help Chinese government censor the Internet
By Josh Varlin, 5 August 2017
The Chinese government has launched a crackdown on virtual private networks (VPNs), which allow Internet users to circumvent state censorship.
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