To appease the endless campaigns of journalists to pressure Facebook to censor more, Facebook is now removing journalists from the "public figure" category, meaning the freedom to criticize journalists and engage in activism against their work will be sharply curtailed.
https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1448366788450869262
Of course journalists are public figures. They chose a job that enables them to shape public discourse, ruin reputations, manipulate public perceptions, and so much else.
That they should be shielded from public critique is deranged, but it's a pervasive view they now have.
That they should be shielded from public critique is deranged, but it's a pervasive view they now have.
Journalists have been increasingly equating any criticisms of them with "harassment" or "bullying." So often, if a journalist publishes a false or defamatory article and people object, they cast themselves as the victims. Facebook's rule change reflects this self-pitying view.
One could call this the "Taylor Lorenz Syndrome." So many journalists go around casually ruining the lives and reputations of even private, powerless, obscure people, then instantly claim they're the real victim when people object to that and critique their work ("harassment!").
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
