Dear friends,
Here is the email I got in my inbox today:
——-
Dear friend,
Once again, SouthFront faced an unprecedented censorship.
On April 30, our Facebook page with about 100,000 subscribers was deleted without any notifications or an option to appeal the decision:
Censorship Continues. Facebook Permanently Deleted SouthFront’s Page
On May 1, YouTube terminated SouthFront’s channels with approximately 170,000 subscribers. The main YouTube channel in English had over 152,000 subscribers, 1,900 uploaded videos and about 60,000,000 views.
This happened despite the fact that our YouTube channels had zero active strikes. We cover conflicts in the Middle East. This is a sensitive topic. Therefore, we strictly follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines and comply with the Terms of Service. There was no so-called “coronavirus conspiracy” content on our YouTube channels.
SouthFront’s YouTube channels were terminated without any warning. All that we got was a single automated email regarding the termination ofour inactive channel in Farsi “SouthFront Farsi” that included several translations of our war reports. However, even this email provides no details regarding the decision and just claims that “SouthFront Farsi” violated YouTube’s Terms of Service without any elaboration.
For over 5 years of our work, SouthFront repeatedly faced attempts to censor our coverage, analysis and videos. However, the current blatant and illegal ban of our activity is an unprecedented case.
The explanation may be that US authorities ordered YouTube and Facebook to cleanse the media sphere of sources of objective coverage and analysis on the Middle East region as a part of the ongoing preparations
for a war with Iran.We think that the current situation deserves attention of the international public, including the journalistic community beyond individual ambitions of separate media organizations and journalists.
We ask you to cover this situation and, if you have an opportunity, to provide us with informational or juridical help.
Sincerely yours,
SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence
——-
What can I say?
First, the fact that the AngloZionist controlled media wants to silence SouthFront is a sign of how effective SouthFront’s work has been. They can wear that as a badge of honor.
Second, I don’t believe that there is anything that should/could be done. The First Amendment only applies to situation in which the state silences somebody, not when corporations do it.
Third, I strongly believe that we all (those in overt resistance to the Empire) should never become dependent on the good-will or decency of AngloZionist controlled media/hosting outlets. Expect no decency or mercy from these people, they are servants of Satan, quite literally!
Please try to help SouthFront either financially or by lending them a helping hand. These are good people, doing an important job and, unlike so many others, they have always repaid us with their faithful support and friendship.
By helping SouthFront you help all of us, including the entire Saker Community!
Please do the right thing.
Kind regards
The Saker
With Facebook losing its credibility, and increasing its advertising.
Becoming less attractive to consciously thinking people.
Hopefully somebody will come up with a new Social Media Platform that has the same wide ranging appeal. Telegram is very good.
But FB had a better way of sharing.
Unfortunately it is still the go to media site for the masses.
We all should consider making a co-ordinated move to VK from Russia perhaps.
good idea.
anyway I only use FB to post articles from this website, Pepe Escobar, Unz, Strategic Culture , RT, Sputnik etc
especially anti – Isapartheid etc, anti zionazi, anti Mdern day MORDOR (USA) etc
I am surprised I have never been banned
I only use Facebook to keep track of family and friends. I am sure a lot of people do the same.
Some people do use Facebook for news, as that 100,000 subscriber figure shows.
Still, I think that deplatforming by Facebook and Twitter is overrated. People – like the people who frequent this site – know full well the politics behind those platforms. They know that “news” promoted by those sites simply cannot be trusted. Increasing people look to sites like this one for legitimate news.
The real threat has yet to emerge. That threat is the blocking of sites like this one. I think that, eventually, that will come to pass. But, by then, it will be too late.
No sooner than I suggested that censorship of independent sites was about to happen than this comes out:
https://www.zerohedge.com/health/inevitable-coronavirus-censorship-crisis-here
This over reliance on Western platforms like Facebook, YouTube etc is the problem. I simply don’t understand why Russia and China dont get together and create platforms that would surpass anything that is currently used. They certainly have the resources and manpower to do this. I’m sure thousands of Russian and Chinese techheads are itching to do this. Sure, both Russia and China have their own indigenous platforms that cater for their own populations but they need to create new ones together that will be more appealing to the international masses looking for alternatives. They need to be of extremely high quality, modern, user-friendly and a available in ALL languages. This is war. Both Russia and China need to build up their PR skills and they need to start spreading information to the world. We need to stop complaining about being banned from Facebook or YouTube and start creating far superior products using the wasted talents of highly educated and switched on young Russians and Chinese that the rest of the world would gladly turn to.
Yes China’s commitment to free speech is overwhelming ! Perhaps they could put the servers in Hong Kong and let them use their Freedoms to illuminate the world ?
Does anyone consider Zuckerberg’s wife may embody that Free Thinking Approach so favoured by Mao – you know “Let a hundred flowers blossom” which made China such a haven of Free Thinking and Conscience !
Hope my sarcasm is none too shocking for your Weltanschauung !
Lol nicely done
But it is not up to China nor Russia to free the West; it is up to the people of the Western countries to free themselves.
I am neither Russian or Chinese but like millions of others of this planet I am hoping that enlightened superpowers like these two can bring about a more just world and stand up to the current dominant bullies. Yes, we the people have a major role to play but like one guy commented once either here or another site how can keyboards fight against machine guns. If not for Russia and China then our only hope is the invasion of Earth by enlightened alien beings or divine intervention which seems to be the most probable scenario.
There’s several open source and decentralized video sharing platforms that will inevitably be more suitable for inconvenient truth reporting such as southfront.
https://alternativeto.net/software/youtube/?license=opensource
https://www.bitchute.com/ was not on the list for some reason.
Which of these aren’t blocked in China?
I have been doing a series of animated short films for nearly four years. They used to be on YouTube before I switched to Vimeo. Both sites are blocked in China.
My mother’s side of the family lives there, and since they can’t access YouTube or Vimeo, I’d have to send every new episode to them via WeChat.
(The films have no spoken dialogue, so it’s safe to say that the relatives, for whom English isn’t a first language, serve as a test audience).
There’s always Bilibili (CN) and Niconico (JP, but not blocked in CN last time I checked), but those aren’t available in other European languages, let alone Spanish.
To be honest, I was a bit surprised by the relatively number of subscribers (below 200k). Was expecting at least half a million, but on the other hand they were probably heavily suppressed and smeared as propaganda.
Now I wouldn’t be surprised if there are actual people who are afraid to even open such a website.
everyone’s going over to Bitchute – its really good over there.
Right you are Ann.
Why do people continue to use zionazi-gay facebook. We all know what they are, who butters their rightwing bums.
It’s very simple. Do not use them and put them out of business.
I have never been interested in using Facebook or Twitter…and guess what im still alive and can function normally…
Makedonia is totally right…ive looked at VK many times and it is a fun site, and could certainly be developed further for an international audience…
As the saying goes, their platform, their rules. Yes all the appeals process etc, is just eye wash. 99% of time the decision is final as they don’t want to seem to be vaccilating.
Sadly they are the dominant and highly available platforms and have snuffed out similar ones. I cannot come up with a good alternative to either (thought of Vimeo and realized its now owned by Barry Diller).
May be you can tweet out and send them to some other website to pull in views. That also has good network effect.
I’m told Twitter is working on a decentralized platform for social media. May be I need to learn more about it.
@EVERYBODY: turns out that FB also banned NewsFront, another very good Russian news outlet.
Guys, this is GOOD NEWS!!!
It means that the AngloZionists are afraid of the Russian media.
And that means that this media is effective!
Yes, in the short term, this is a pain.
But this was HIGHLY predictable.
And, in the long term, anything banned becomes more “sexy” :-)
If you can, please help them both
The Saker
Oohhh. I’ve never heard of them – and I’m always searching for good Russian news places. It’s become increasingly difficult since YT stopped he English translations of Kiselyov, Solovyevs’ “Evening” and “60 minutes”. Thanks very much this “heads up” Saker.
The Unz Review Suddenly Banned by Facebook!
Ron Unz • May 1, 2020 •
@https://www.unz.com/announcement/facebook-bans-the-unz-review/
Whether you like him or not – he seems a person who evokes extreme reactions,- the fact is that [a] he has made 200 predictions in the last 20 years which have all come to pass and [b] he says what he gathers from experts in the field and [c] he should have the right to be heard.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8281353/YouTube-delete-conspiracy-theorist-David-Ickes-account-unproven-coronavirus-claims.html
So FB and YT. They are getting scared aren’t they?
“The First Amendment only applies to situation in which the state silences somebody, not when corporations do it.”
Fascism – the fusion of State and Big Corporate interests. Big corporations offer the State propaganda avenues, manufacture of consent, political influence, censorship and security. In return the State offers them immunity against prosecution, regulatory relaxation, financial and tax benefits and in some cases military/police support. There is no democracy – only a weak facade of one. The ordinary citizen has little or no influence.
Welcome to Satan’s world.
Well said, VT. Concur completely.
I’d add, Satan’s Tribe.
“Third, I strongly believe that we all (those in overt resistance to the Empire) should never become dependent on the good-will or decency of AngloZionist controlled media/hosting outlets. Expect no decency or mercy from these people, they are servants of Satan, quite literally!”
When the America media like Facebook censors the viewpoints of groups that question America’s wars of aggression or its state sponsorship of jihadist terrorists in Syria, Libya, and beyond–as SouthFront has done–it’s not censorship.
It’s American Freedom in action.
Remember, Ignorance is Strength.
And War is Peace.
America Uber Alles!
This is very tragic, but we’ve seen the trend for a long time. I don’t agree with The Saker’s assessment that nothing should/could be done. With regards to the first amendment, do consider that these Silicon Valley firms have tight connections to Washington, and hence, are a part of the state.
What’s legally troublesome for them is the fact that they are, by law, obliged to act as a platform, not a publisher. This gives them freedom from lawsuits in case something slanderous is published on there. We have enough examples to confirm that they have broken this agreement, whereby Capitol Hill can deprive them of this exemption.
It’s time for people to get accounts on other platforms than Youtube. I have a Bitchute account. Sign up there, and on other platforms. South Front is on Bitchute, but they should publish all their stuff on there.
We have something to do, essential. Telling the truth.
“In a time of universal deceit — telling the truth is a revolutionary act” (George Orwell).
“Live Not By Lies” (Alexander Solzhenitsyn).
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
So, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
I have not yet been censored by the murderous regime that I know of, but I am working on it. I congratulate South Front for such recognition of their dedication to good journalism.
The First Amendment only applies to situation in which the state silences somebody, not when corporations do it.
Yeah – but Google and Facebook are pretty much part of the state apparatus.
And yes – peer-to-peer to the only sane protocol. Rather amusing that one would attempt to oppose the empire using the empire’s servers …
“The First Amendment only applies to situation in which the state silences somebody, not when corporations do it.”
This is factually and legally incorrect. Facebook petitioned the legal system for status as a “platform” i.e. a “a public space”. However, by setting arbitrary “community standards” Facebook is de facto no longer operating as a “platform” but as a “publisher.” That might seem like a little thing but it is not. “Platforms” have no legal right to regulate or censor content above and beyond that required by the law. And the benefit a “platform” receives in return is legal immunity for things posted on the platform. “Publishers” on the other hand are legally liable for everything they publish.
So what Facebook is doing is illegal. They are illegally claiming the benefits of a “platform” while actually operating as a publisher.
The solution here is not be a libertarian and say “awe shucks I guess they’re a private company so we’re totally powerless”. The solution is to legally compel Facebook to follow the law and either (1) eliminate their arbitrary, illegal editorial “community standards” or (2) lose their “platform” status and force them to be legally liable for every piece of slander, liable and fake news they publish.
I agree completely. It would appear that these companies are vulnerable to lawsuits to force it to comply with the “platform or publisher” distinction. Perhaps some civic minded lawyers can be persuaded to launch such with public support? Force them to keep their platforms open, or become publishers, which would open them up to even more lawsuits.
I agree that the writing has been on the wall for some time about this, but this is not a victory of any kind, it is a slow but steady defeat of free speech. People are not going to suddenly move to other platforms due to the network effect, i.e. “everyone is using platform X, so I must too”.
If left unchallenged this will become a complete disaster for those of us trying to keep the truth alive.
It is amazing how blatant the supposedly ‘democratic’ countries have become in shutting down an narrataive they don’t control.
Equally amazing though is the apathy of people in allowing it to happen…
Try using the following French video website:
https://www.dailymotion.com/
I’d be happy to switch to DailyMotion if we were allowed to write comments like on YouTube and Vimeo. Then again, I could just provide my e-mail address and have viewers give feedback with it.
Ezra pound is correct. FB and Youtube must be sued if you have standing. If an American write and call your Congress people to make it certain that if they censor content, they are publishers, not platforms
” I don’t believe that there is anything that should/could be done. The First Amendment only applies to situation in which the state silences somebody, not when corporations do it. ”
I think that is wrong. The constitution clarify that there shall be freedom of the press. And that free speech shall not be abridged.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
So when free speech is abridged by consent of the congress (the lawmakers), which law has been violated ?
It is so that all actions of Facebook in the United States are governed by law and cannot violate the constitution. A corporation has no special status, if a corporation was violating any part of the constitution they are to be procecuted for it. In this case both is the case, the corporation must be procecuted, the congress held accountable for violating the constitution by consent ie. the opposite of making no law has also violated the constitution by approving illegal operations.
I recommend using vk.com, I’ve been on it for nearly 6 years now. And yes, you can use English – no problem.
I’m also using Viber, which I consider better quality than cr@p skype.
As it is, it is inevitable that those publishing on twitter, faecesbook & youtube will be banned/removed, and is no surprise to me. As stated, they are part of the fascist – and as mentioned by Saker with whom I agree 100% with him, satanic pawns – usg.
I agree with everything you said, Saker. I would appreciate, however, if you could elaborate a bit as to how the so-called Anglo-Zionist controlled media outlets are “literal” (that being the key word) servants of Satan (assuming he’s/she/it actually exists. For I recall sometime ago, you mentioned that it all comes down to battle between “good and evil” which is actually between God and Satan. Now obviously there is no empirical evidence to support such a conclusion considering that the scientific method is non-applicable in this assertion. By the way, I’m well aware of the fact that you’re deeply religious and it would only be reasonable that these beliefs would play a role in political analysis. Thanks, Allen
Re: the request for a definition of satanic forces…
Satan or Satanic: Those forces desiring the total elimination of humans…humans made in the image of G-d. That means no chipping, no killing, no free-style gene editing for supermench or super wench, no destruction of
the food supply by means of GMO etc. etc.no establishment of a society dependent on continual war for its economic wellbeing. and calling the elimination of babies who have taken their first breath and are viable on their own as “late term abordtion”. is Satanic.
Is that enough of a start?
I did not ask for a definition of “satanic forces”. It’s not a matter of semantics as you imply in your assumption. I’m not disputing that the adjective is appropriate in this particular context. Having said that, it’s a huge leap for conflating it with the noun, the lord of darkness himself. I understand you took upon yourself answering the question that was addressed to the Saker, but unless you can read his mind, only he can clarify where his thought process is at . For example, David Icke (which I’m not a fan off) would argue that dark forced from another dimension have the ability to influence ours. I think I can safely assume that is not what the Saker has in mind however (lol).
I never understood Facebook anyways. I find it totally superflous as I always go directly to the source website.
Southfront is still up on the web at: https://southfront.org/about-southfront/.
As for a Social Meda Platform, one can pretty much do the same with email. Email is also more personnal and secure.
My recommendation is to simply toss Facebook away; don’t patronize it.
“Third, I strongly believe that we all (those in overt resistance to the Empire) should never become dependent on the good-will or decency of AngloZionist controlled media/hosting outlets. Expect no decency or mercy from these people, they are servants of Satan, quite literally!”
America’s media censorship of groups that call out American wars of aggression or its state sponsorship of terrorist jihadists against Libya, Syria, or other nations–as SouthFront does–is not really censorship.
It’s America’s vaunted Freedom and Democracy in action!
Remember, Ignorance is Truth.
And War is Peace in the vaunted “Land of the Free.”
America Uber Alles!
Would Vcontact be an alternative? Does their ownership management engage in censorship?
I think it is is a mistake to use FB for political purposes to begin with.
Screw em’. Southfront can move to bitchute,com and flourish there. Also move everyone to minds.com. Stay off crap face, and tell tale twatter.
There are alternative! We have to use them and push back.
Just take a look at fakebook “this page isn’t available”, a broken finger symbolizes the cessation of free writing ability. Very apt.
What else would you expect?
Being banned from utube and fbook is a badge of honour.
“They are the servants of SATAN”: can’t be expressed in a better form
Let’s ask God to remove Satan from our world. Many will laught but let them. That’s what Jesus did when he was tempted.
I am surprised that they let it run for so long.
Good thing is, anglozionist censorship will help rise independent media channels, in other words, they are shooting themselves in foot.
Caitlin Johnstone is right to say that “In A Corporatist System Of Government, Corporate Censorship Is State Censorship”.
The US has a corporatist system of government.
It seems that Emilios George Ades Georgiades in Cyprus has been removed from FB.
Doesn’t anyone know more about him and FB?
It doesn’t surprise that US elites are directing their high tech prostitutes to censor those that don’t toe the line.
I wonder how expensive/difficult would it be to start an alternative to youtube channel for non-zionazi BS media?
This is very sad.
I do hope The Saker keep posting links to SouthFront on regular basis.
Once a week will do the job.
“The First Amendment only applies to situation in which the state silences somebody, not when corporations do it.”
In terms of law, corporations became “individuals” and that is the reason they rack up so much money. In this respect corporations need to be treated as individuals in terms of political expression. I see FB as a place where you can read thousands of newspapers. This perspective needs to be written in the law.
This is what happens when we become reliant on ‘free’ social media accounts, no right of appeal, no higher legal body to appeal to, just cut off. These organisations work for the US elites and thus do their bidding. A lesson is to be learned here for all of us (how many people have ‘free’ email accounts with US companies? Billions. Obviously it is beyond the funds of most to host a website with this amount of videos on it so we all have to think about how we use so called free media. We know that the west simply will not tolerate the truth being accessible by their citizens (let alone by their own now broken and obedient media) Alternatives must be found.
Southfront now wants everyone with a YouTube channel to help spread their videos
https://southfront.org/help-to-share-southfront-message-on-youtube/