Posted Jan 12, 2021 by Michael L. Brown

If there’s one thing Americans love, it is freedom. And if there is one thing Americans are known for, it is being a freedom-loving, independent people. That’s why it is no surprise that some world leaders are aghast that Big Tech could ban for life the President of the United States. This is the encroaching tyranny of Big Tech. It will be resisted.

Just consider what has happened within the last few days.

In the immediate aftermath of the storming of the Capitol, social media began banning or blocking or suspending the accounts of people like Steve Bannon, General Michael Flynn, and Sidney Powell.

On January 7, former first lady Michelle Obama called for Big Tech to ban Trump for life, an utterly outrageous, completely over the top request. One day later, the ban was in place.

The same day, January 7, Google and Apple turned their backs on Parler, the most popular alternative to Twitter, followed by Amazon shutting down Parler’s servers.

As Parler’s CEO John Matze said to Tucker Carlson, “You just never think it will happen, right? . . . What is really interesting is that they all did on the same day, those three [Apple, Google and Amazon] without any prior warning. We woke up on Friday thinking business, business as usual.”

Google didn’t even notify him directly. Matze read about their actions online.

Yesterday (Monday), former Senator Ron Paul announced that his Facebook account had been temporarily suspended after he linked to an article on his website, criticizing Big Tech’s overreach. You do not criticize Big Brother!

As he tweeted, “With no explanation other than ‘repeatedly going against our community standards,’ @Facebook has blocked me from managing my page. Never have we received notice of violating community standards in the past and nowhere is the offending post identified.”

His son, Senator Rand Paul, retweeted this, adding, “Facebook now considers advocating for liberty to be sedition. Where will it end?”

Interestingly, it was just last week, in response to Senator Josh Hawley’s actions in DC, the giant publisher Simon & Schuster announced that it would not be publishing Hawley’s forthcoming book, titled, The Tyranny of Big Tech. Is there a little irony here?

This past Sunday, the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal posted an article titled, “The Progressive Purge Begins. Tech’s stampede against the right will lead to more populist anger.”

White House press secretary Ari Fleisher also warned, “This is a slippery slope that leads all of us into a worse place. Censorship never works. Censorship doesn't get rid of the ideas. It creates a dangerous underground. That's what we're seeing. It won't end well.”

World leaders are also weighing on this purge, focusing in particular on the banning of President Trump. As reported by Al Jazeera news a spokesman for Germany’s Angela Merkel called the ban “problematic”, adding that the freedom of opinion is of “elementary significance.”

Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said, “I don’t like anybody being censored or taking away from the right to post a message on Twitter or Facebook. I don’t agree with that, I don’t accept that.”

In addition, “The son of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s far-right President, Eduardo Bolsonaro called Twitter ‘authoritarian’ and tweeted: ‘A world where Maduro is on social media, but Trump is suspended cannot be normal.’”

England’s Boris Johnson called for an even-handed enforcing of the rules, while Kremlin critic and Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny called the ban “an unacceptable of censorship.” (He also acknowledged that “during his time in the office, Trump has been writing and saying very irresponsible things. And paid for it by not getting re-elected for a second term.”)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo affirmed these sentiments in his Monday speech to Voice of America, saying, “Censorship, wokeness, political correctness. It all points in one direction — authoritarianism cloaked as moral righteousness.”

Yes, it is, “Similar to what we’re seeing at Twitter and Facebook and Apple and on too many university campuses today. It’s not who we are. It’s not who we are as Americans. And it’s not what the Voice of America should be. It’s time that we simply put woke-ism to sleep.”

Well said. This is not who we are as Americans, and the tyranny of Big Tech must be challenged.

Yet, as noted already in 2017 by Bob Scott in his Joseph Project book, “To give you some perspective, the size, scope, influence and power of the Big 5 tech companies; Google (Alphabet), Amazon, Facebook, Apple & Microsoft is jaw dropping. They have a combined valuation of over $3.3 trillion and make up more than 40 percent of the value of the Nasdaq 100 index! . . .” And this was written in 2017.

He continued, “The influential reach these companies possess is unprecedented in human history.  Their ability to control information and package it however they want, gives them the power to impact our perspectives and shape our view of reality. Whoever controls the internet now controls the world as virtually every system now operates over it. Every one of these companies is in a frenzied competition with each to be the first to set up their AI as the new god in their (temple) company. Their goal is to grab an even greater slice of the cultural influence pie. Don’t be fooled by their corporate façade, both their founders and management all have a very clear ideology and worldview which is their religion.”

So, the problem is quite tangled, since we are not just talking about social media but search engines and economic chains and communication links and more. And there is the very real problem of highly dangerous material that is widely disseminated online.

Twitter announced on Monday that it had permanently banned more than 70,000 accounts primarily devoted to sharing QAnon material, explaining, ‘Given the violent events in Washington, DC, and increased risk of harm, we began permanently suspending thousands of accounts that were primarily dedicated to sharing QAnon content on Friday afternoon.’”

But what of the hundreds of thousands of other accounts disseminating falsehood and lies? What about the uneven handling of what is and is not allowed to be disseminated? As Rand Paul’s wife tweeted Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, “Hey @jack, remember how for the last three years you have allowed thousands of hateful tweets celebrating my husband’s assault and encouraging more violence against him?  I do.”

Amazon’s hypocrisy has often been confronted as well, including their purge of books, written by licensed professionals, helping people deal with unwanted same-sex attractions. The anti-conservative bias is there. Make no mistake about it.

Looking back to last week’s events in DC, I personally laid the ultimate blame at the feet of President Trump, not for what he had said at the rally that day but for the atmosphere he helped create with four years of irresponsible and incendiary comments and tweets. At the same time, he said nothing illegal, and his words and posts were far tamer than the words of many of his ideological enemies. (For Twitter’s lame justification for not banning Iran’s Ayatollah Khamanei, see here.)  

Yet, when reviewing some of the abhorrent posts that were allowed to remain on Parler, it’s easy to understand why there was so much backlash against them – although, without a doubt, the attempts of Big Tech to shut them down are outrageous.

Is there a way, then, to combine accountability with free speech? And what kinds of terms of service can be agreed to and yet fairly and evenly enforced? These are legitimate questions that must be addressed.

But, without a doubt, Big Tech’s tyranny must be confronted on every level. This is an insidious attack on our freedoms that Americans will resist. I trust that, in the days ahead, our love for freedom will make a way. Stay tuned.

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Comments

OT posted a comment · Jan 13, 2021
OBAMA is the reason for the season America finds herself experiencing, Trump ran for office! as a result of Obama/Biden presidency example - cause and effect!
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freddy z posted a comment · Jan 13, 2021
I get the actions of Big Tech to limit platforms but I'm pretty sure these are all private companies that have the license to limit access to their businesses. If you don't understand the lures of idolatry, stay tuned.
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RAS posted a comment · Jan 12, 2021
Christ will rule the world when he returns; however, Christians will not win the battle for an earthly kingdom beforehand. Moreover, as a nation, we are too far gone now to come back. We lost the earthly battle a long time ago while people were sleeping like Samson on Delilah's lap. I don't believe America will be restored to its past power and prosperity. The glory of America as a nation is most likely behind us. If we turn to God and rise again at all; It is most likely our restoration will be more akin to Samson's, who was blinded and lost his power when his head was shaven, or like Manasseh who repented, yet God still sent evil upon the nation for the sins Manasseh and Juda was given into the hands of her enemies. Likewise, Samson's restoration of strength was in his death, not a return to his former state. At this point, the evil in America has grown so great, for so long, we cannot escape the judgment of God. Even if we as individuals repent, we would save but ourselves, not the unrepentant nation. America is facing judgment - As the Lord told Ezekiel: "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God." I feel that's right about where we are now. - Now, to end on a more positive note. in spite of the doom and gloom, I do have hope for a great awakening that will reach around the world and in the Holy Land, and it may come out of all of this happening now.
Swkh310 posted a comment · Jan 12, 2021
Tyranny? Not even close. It’s the free market place at work, capitalism at its finest.
OT posted a comment · Jan 12, 2021
what the Democrats are doing is right out of the Devils play book " over play your hand! they are counterfeit! God I PRAY YOU EXPOSE EVERY HIDDEN PLAN OF THE DEVIL! he is SUBJECT TO YOU GOD ! SHOW THE WORLD WHAT IS A FOOT IN THIS NATION ! IN JESUS NAME I ASK ......AMEN Democrat leadership are opportunistic, One can only hope they over play their hand and live to regret it! Expose who they are and up to !There is a better way , ask God for favor and wisdom and help! God can prevail on the hearts of people to rise up speak , vote ! Oppose evil - Democrats are really good at double speak- hypocrisy They say the most vile things to and about people who oppose there agenda ! You can’t silence and pretend 78.000.000.00 people don’t have rights ! Oh but it appears they have found a way , by convincing public social platform to exclude them! I’m kinda thinking these platforms should go poof! I hope they suffer extinction , the way of the dinosaurs!
OT posted a comment · Jan 12, 2021
I Trust God in spite of what Swkh310 says over and over ! why is it Christians run around constantly saying they are the normal ones! all of humanity is flawed ! just read what Swkh310 says here with out fail ! and why do Christians think we should shrink back from voting! Swkh310 voted for Hillary and she loves abortion and Swkh310 voted for her! Swkh310 the normal Christians! sorry you stepped in it didn't you ! bummer
OT posted a comment · Jan 12, 2021
Swkh310 remember history won't "forget" all the reasons Trump ran for President ! stick that in your pipe and sMoKe it ! ______Obama opened the door and unveiled the way to Sodom-n-Gomorrah 2.0 just saying! "Obama"s world apology tour" just saying! so It is unequivocally Obama's Fault Trump ran for office ! You say it was not, could not be a course correction for America inspired by God! Then Obama inspired the "ORANGE" monster as you call him! who or what else could have been the reason!