(FORUM) Big Tech hearings: Kabuki Theatre?


The following is commentary intended for discussion. Add your comments.

How many hearings has Congress had with “Big Tech” in the past 5 years– yet done nothing?

I’m not advocating a particular government action, or any action necessarily, just pointing out there seems to be a lot of meaningless theatre.

Big Tech was among biggest donors to Democrats and I’m sure they’ve given plenty to Republicans.


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27 thoughts on “(FORUM) Big Tech hearings: Kabuki Theatre?”

  1. I think IF they are going to censor it has to be equal. Censor should really only involve things like child porn. People do not need Government or Big Tech deciding who they should listen to. They are not the thought police and it is obvious and frankly , insulting…

  2. Congressional hearings have been Kabuki theatre for as long as I can remember. The most memorable realization of that fact was when they investigated drugs in baseball… What exactly was the point and where exactly did they obtain that authority?

  3. Michael Peter Rogers

    Total joke. 90% of Americans are against censorship but most of Congress is on the take from Mark, Jack, and the boys. This could end tomorrow but it won’t. Phony Lindsay will beat his chest , then gladly take the big Tech donation. 500 of 535 in Congress are filthy , almost the entire Senate. SAD!

    1. Elected office, at least in the U.S., at all levels local, state, and federal, is populated mostly by scam artists who are in “public service” to make money either by taking bribes, which many do while only a handful ever get caught because at the federal level the FBI is not a law enforcement org, it’s a criminal org,, or by steering government contracts to their friends who reward them later with a job.

      Facebook, Google, amd Twitter are run by fronts who had nothing to do with setting up or running those companies which are, for the most part, CIA operations. CIA’s InQtel funded Fascistbook and Zuckerberg, who is obviously vax damaged, and a subnormal mouth breather drooling moron had nothing to do with creating it. It was stolen IP.

      Government doesn’t solve problems and politicians create more of them than they solve because they’re all owned by special interests who feed off the public. I worked for 2 of the largest criminal Big Pharma companies in the world, GlaxoSmithKline, and a legacy company of Pfizer that launched it to number one with Lipitor. We owned the cons im Congress. None of those s ubnormals write legislation. It’s all written by lobbyists.

  4. Having read the ICAN lawsuit against Facebook and Youtube, I get the impression that it is the intimidation factor (Congress’ implied threat to revise or eliminate section 230 of the CDA) which has led to wholesale censorship of protected speech. Congress is simply incapable of fixing anything, so it will be up to the courts, and rightly so, to protect or most fundamental right, that of free speech. I have little faith in the courts or the DOJ, but in addition to the ICAN lawsuit, the DOJ and the Attorneys General from 48 states have also initiated anti-trust actions against them. Book burning must be stopped.

  5. We love the technological communication systems provided to us. So do the intelligence agencies. Optics of big tech firm CEO’s and such before Congress are a bad joke. These individuals aren’t in charge or in control of anything.

    Eisenhower’s “farewell speech” touched on more than just “military industrial complex”.

    “In holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

  6. I just heard Alan Dershowitz (sp?) on Sunday Morning Futures say that platforms that censor (fakebook, twither, etc.) should loose section 230 protections and platforms that don’t (he used Rumble as an example) should keep 230 protections (I’d include gab.com, as well as distributed apps like lbry.com in that group also). Of course, it remains to be seen how that would work in practice.

    1. If we had honest non partisan persons in charge making the decision about who’s “neutral” and who’s not, Alan’s idea would work great. If it’s the usual pay to play situation when that group to make the decision is picked, well, there we go again….anymore, I always expect to be disappointed…..
      THANK YOU Sharyl, for your courage and dedication to the truth! I have “Stonewalled” and was horrified about your experience. I keep thinking of the movie where Jack Nicholson yells “You can’t handle the truth!!!” at Tom Cruise when I talk to my few liberal friends about Trump. They just go bananas, make no sense and scream about his orange hair! I got “Slanted” for Christmas. I’m hoping that book will answer my question: “Who is the puppet master who tells the fake news robots what their “phrase of the week” will be?” It’s amazing, their phrasing often matches EXACTLY!

      1. Marilyn,
        Sharyl,
        and
        Full Measure Team :

        What does Trump know about the
        enemies of the Founders’ and Framers’
        America ?

        Does Trump & Team
        know any of this ? :

        The late-closeted-communist Walter Cronkite (( a Menshevik Marxist : who believe in a non-violent, incremental takeover of America, unlike the violence-steeped-and-purposed BOLSHEVIKS—for COMMUNISM ! )) had written a cryptic, truth-telling message about the origin of his and other journalists’ NEWS Reports (( see below )).

        [[ Think: SHADOW Cabal, at work behind the scenes, which cabal came to full power during Abraham Lincoln’s administration, as Lincoln had embedded Marxists ( into seats of power ) arriving from Europe, after those so-called “Forty Eighters” (( 1848 Marxian revolutionaries against capitalism throughout Europe )) had failed in their Europe-wide attempt to advance a communist UTOPIA there, and escaped justice—fleeing mostly to Russia and America ]] :

        “A handful of us determine what will be on the evening news broadcasts, or, for that matter, in the New York Times or Washington Post or Wall Street Journal…. Indeed it is a handful of us with this awesome power… a strongly editorial power
        …we must decide which news items out of hundreds available we are going to expose that day. And those [news stories] available to us already have been culled and re-culled by persons far outside our control.” -Walter Cronkite

        -found in this report :

        https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/brainwashing-the-masses-6-companies-own-almost-all-of-the-media-in-the-u-s-using-medical-doctors-to-sell-their-message/

        Communist Walter Cronkite had helped to manage U.S. defeat in Viet Nam, daily (( via his false reports, and by his telegraphed Anti-American voice and facial contortions—by his negative voice and body language, giving aid and comfort to Mao’s communists in the north throughout that war )) !

        That war was about depleting U.S blood and treasure!, not about WINNING, which – if it had not been purposely mis-managed by State Department LEFTISTS – would have been accomplished in a month of applied U.S. military leadership (( search out the REAL history about how Mao came to power—through “our own” State Department ambassador . . . SEARCH it )).

        -Rick

        P.S.

        Why the question mark, Sharyl, after “Kabuki,” as ALL of it has been theatrics—from the time of Marxian Lincoln’s war against CONSTITUTIONAL self-government/self-determination.

        Find and study this book, “Lincoln’s MARXISTS”—about the communists within Lincoln’s administration, within the Republican Party, and within the Union army. And learn why Karl Marx defended Lincoln’s war against states’ rights.

  7. The public scold sessions in Congress are pure show to give some visceral satisfaction to the public. I don’t know if Congress is in on it willingly, or if they’re powerless against the corps, or some combination of the two. Either way it’s very concerning.

  8. Zuckerberg and the Democrats have been calling for more “regulation” of the internet and tech companies for years. Any regulation/laws passed by a bought and paid for congress will be written by big tech’s own lawyers and lobbyists and will be designed to stifle competition and further cement their eroding monopoly status. What can be done? People are leaving FB and twitter in droves to join MeWe, Gab, Telegram, etc. If we are allowed to, society largely resolves our own problems.

  9. Funny I should come across your topic this morning. That was what I was thinking during the impeachment hearing as the hours of violence inside the capitol was spliced together with voiceover of words that because of the way they were inserted really enhanced the drama. The dramatic intonation of the managers as they presented their theater had academy award potential. The whole thing was theatrics. It was refreshing to hear the defense deal with the actual issues and keep it brief. Unfortunately the kabuki theater presented by the managers actually incited more division in America. Something we do not need. I loved the review of the presentation by Michael van der Veen who is not part of the political scene but rather a “citizen” who gave his view of things from his non-political perspective. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/02/ouch-trump-attorney-van-der-veen-happened-capitol-jan-6-absolutely-horrific-happened-trial-not-far-away/

  10. I used to get a lot of news from pages on Facebook–many of the pages have been shut down. This has forced me to diversity: Parler, MeWe, Gab, and signing up for emailed news from sites and journalists that I like. I’m also bookmarking news sites that avoid inflammatory language and give references. I most appreciate the news sites that include references to primary sources, showing where the reporters got their information.

    Amazon (or any other big tech company) should not have the power or right to de-platform another company. We have anti-trust laws, that are not being followed. I don’t expect any government agency or Congress to address the monopolies. I hope the courts will. Meanwhile, I will continue to look for reliable resources–like your webpage, tv show, and social media posts. Thank you for all you do.

  11. If it’s an American “Town Square” platform, then the same LAWS that are in place on public property in the Town Square should be followed. And unless I’m mistaken, porn isn’t allowed in the town square.

    Want to do “Town Square” business, you follow Town Square law… or you lose Section 230 protections.

  12. A country that can’t rely on its elective body to pass fair and equitable laws for all its citizenry is doomed. A country that will only cobble legislation together when they feel the need to divy up pork is doomed. A country that doesn’t demand its leaders meet a certain moral threshold is doomed. Punting to the courts is irresponsible and inadequate. It’s all theater. A tragic play written to divide, muddle, and hide the true purposes and intent of the actors on stage.

  13. Yes, there’s been a lot of talk and little action. It appears the govt, both parties, have chosen to protect and serve themselves rathan than their constituents. I strongly urge everyone to communicate with their elected reps, often, to let them know how you feel about their action or inaction. If they dont live up to your expectations, then fire them and hire someone who will represent you! It’s easy to complain yet much more productive to make your thoughts and wishes known, daily if necessary and by voting! Big Tech is NOT the arbiter of free speech … the Constitution is!

  14. It is so refreshing to see actual journalism in action. Wish there were multitudes more just like you. Don’t expect Democrats and even some Republicans to go after big tech. Big tech owns them and congress is addicted to their cash. By the way, I have read all your phenomenal books and am just starting to read slanted. I am sure I will not be disappointed.

  15. Definitely mere theater. :(

    Now that Mitch and McCarthy have revealed themselves to be fully establishment-GOP, it’s clear that the hearings were meant to simply appease us, while letting Big Tech go about the business of getting Trump out of office, and getting non-establishment conservatives, libertarians, and even non-establishment center-left and far-left-progressives shut down and shut-upped.

  16. Even these msgs are checked before posted?

    Facebook and Twitter should lose their 230 exemption, but they should also be able to run their platforms the way they want.

    HOWEVER WE SHOULD STOP TAKING A KNEE FOR THE 1st Amendment.

    Everyone still on the platforms continues to enable them… WHY does govt have to step in? No one is forcing anyone to use that communist filth. People of their own volition are choosing to let BigTech THINK for them, its disgusting.

    1. Kabuki theatre is a form of drama that incorporates the elements of storytelling, dance, and acting in a very beautiful and refined manner. It’s one of japan’s oldest cultural heritages. It’s a form of art that is enjoyed by all classes of Japanese society.
      Ever since the inception of kabuki, It has captured the attention of thousands of people. During the Edo period, the only form of drama available was Noh and even that was only for the rich. Kabuki, on the other hand, was for the masses. It differentiated itself from all other forms of Japanese drama, by the performance of unique plays.
      https://kabukimask.com/

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