In the ‘old days’ the newly created social media platforms like MySpace were designed to help people more easily connect with one another, share news, keep in touch, and so on. And like many new technologies, some did really well and some not so well.
MS now seems to be a thing of the past, while other sites like Facebook continue to rise, or so it seems. But all the various big cheese internet media platforms, such as FB, Google, Twitter, YouTube, etc, have increasingly been becoming politically active and hostile to conservative and Christian values.
But if you have interests in posting or sharing somewhat more serious and important stuff, say, about your Christian faith or your conservative beliefs, you will know that both are increasingly taking a hammering from all the big media sites.
Facebook Fascism
One clear example of this is Facebook. More and more I am finding myself in the FB sin bin for some ludicrous reason. Indeed, I am getting real sick of FB and the way it is going. It is now absolutely clear that this is nothing more than a secular left indoctrination centre, and any dissenting points of view and any dissidents WILL be attacked, censored and banned at some point.
I am getting so tired of being banned, of having my stuff deleted and censored, of being told my posts or comments are “spam,” etc. And for me this is a real concern, since for the past decade I have used FB as a ministry tool. For me it has been a secondary CultureWatch where I share all sorts of crucial information, news and commentary.
As a result of this social media ministry, over the years people have become Christians, people have been discipled, people have been pastored, people have been informed, and people have been challenged and inspired. So for me it has been part of my Christian calling to be salt and light, and seek to make a difference for the Kingdom.
But as my efforts there become more and more threatening to the thought police at FB, my effectiveness is of course taking a nosedive. Whether it is “algorithm” issues with FB, or just plain mischievousness and censorship, fewer people are seeing my stuff, and less of it as well.
Even if my material is not banned or deleted, it really has become a joke to have 87 kazillion FB friends, but only 1 – 2 per cent seem able to see it, share it, comment on it, etc. Sure, FB is a business and wants to make money. So it sends me notices that I can “boost” my posts if I pay them for the privilege.
That I have not done, and I will not do it. But exactly because it is a business, it should ease up on all the PC censorship, and concentrate on letting people have some freedom there. But as they become more and more of a secular left Big Brother, they will keep losing aggrieved customers.
And I may soon be one of them. I really have had enough of the FB follies. The only question is whether I leave FB before FB gives me the boot. And I know I am not alone in this, as I have so many friends who are complaining about the same thing. Some of them are getting one 30-day ban after another, all for refusing to sing from the secular left song sheet.
Let me offer a list of the various ‘transgressions’ that FB thinks I am supposed to have committed in just the past week or so. First of all, FB posted on my page an older post of mine, encouraging me to ‘share the memory’. This I did, only to have the folks at FB promptly delete it, claiming it was spam! Good grief!
Second, someone posted something on another FB site which someone had made me an admin of. I have no idea what the ‘offending’ post was, but as a result I – and any other admins – I got another ban: this time a 3-day jail sentence from the tolerance brigade at FB. Incredible! I have only just completed serving that sentence!
Third, I just got another warning from FB saying that another page I must be an admin of or something has violated intellectual property rights or some such baloney. Evidentially there were two harmless but cogent quotes from Thomas Sowell (who of course would be happy to have his material shared), yet FB claims that someone reported them. It goes on to say this:
“If repeat infringement continues, Facebook will be required to block the ability to upload videos and photos to your Page. Ultimately, we could remove the Page entirely. The admin who posted the content has also been notified separately. You should delete all content you don’t own the rights to or don’t have permission to upload.”
Oh give me a break! Probably half of what is posted on FB would be stuff folks do not own the rights to. What utter foolishness. It seems that FB is now intent on getting rid of conservatives like me altogether, and any lame excuse will do.
Indeed, the reasons FB gives for its heavy-handed censorship are laughable. They whine about their “community standards” being violated, etc. Yeah right. That have no standards except the orthodoxy of leftist ideology. They are not just a business seeking to make a hefty profit, but a PC organisation punishing those who dare to differ from their leftist agenda.
Thus if you soon no longer hear from me there, you will know exactly why. I do believe my days are now numbered with them. It is now vital to find alternatives to the Big Brother PC censors at FB. And many do exist. Sure, they would be smaller and have far fewer people, but it is time to break the FB monopoly.
Some of the alternative social media sites include secular ones like MeWe and Christian ones like SocialCross. We need to explore these and find some good alternatives, and initiate some mass migrations to them, away from FB. And that I have already started to do.
Just yesterday I joined MeWe. It is early days yet of course, and I am still learning the ropes, but it is much like FB and easy enough to get on and use. In less than 24 hours I already have nearly 100 friends. Most are refugees and escapees from FB, although most, like me, are on both platforms for the time being.
Of course that is a small fraction of the number of FB friends I have – so far. But it is nice to be able to interact with them all, instead of the 1-2 per cent I could interact with on FB. I will have to see how the new site works as my numbers grow.
Some folks might think that it is a bit much to be on two social media sites. But my reasons should be clear by now: FB is becoming more and more censorious and dictatorial by the day, banning folks, deleting stuff, labelling posts spam, etc.
I do not doubt that FB will permanently ban me and many other Christians and conservatives soon enough, no matter how ‘nice’ and ‘noncontroversial’ we may try to be. So it is best to have a backup plan and get many friends to make the migration now before it is too late!
I have made my move to keep doing what I have been called to do. I do not expect that my small exodus – even if I took all my many FB friends with me – would make any sort of dent in FB. But if enough other disgruntled FB users also tried to take their friends elsewhere, just maybe FB will start to feel the pinch.
But even if they don’t I will not allow them to bully me, intimidate me, censor me and seek to hinder my ministry. If their main aim is to be a driver for leftist anti-Christian bigotry, then let them do it. But I will not be a part of it. They can end up being one big CNN or SBS or Melbourne Age. They are welcome to it.
So who will join me? As I say, you can be on more than one site. I am not saying you should jump the FB ship now. But DO start making arrangements so you are not caught off-guard when the clampdown at FB gets too intense to deal with. We need a backup plan now.
Now you may say that you have never experienced any censorship or punishment on FB. Well, maybe if you are only posting dog memes or foodie pics, then you should be safe. But dare to speak out on the things that really matter, and you will discover that the thought police are ever on the prowl, looking to shut down Christians and conservatives.
So give it some time: if you are now posting courageously on FB, soon enough the powers that be will be dealing with you. Therefore I may see some of you elsewhere in the near future, perhaps on a place like MeWe.
[1600 words]