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☆ We read the Gab founder's how-to guide to Christian nationalism. The book is part of a new trend of conservatives openly embracing the ideology.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"Christian Nationalism: A Biblical Guide For Taking Dominion And Discipling Nations" was written by Torba and Andrew Isker, a pastor from Minnesota. Christian nationalism can generally be boiled down to the belief that Christianity should have a privileged position in American society. Torba's book demonstrates this, as his description of Christian nationalism differs in some ways from academic understandings of it. Phelan M. Ebenhack, File/Associated PressThe public embrace of a somewhat taboo conceptScholars of Christian nationalism, and Christian nationalists themselves, are quick to point out these ideas are not new. "We're now definitely well past the 'Christian nationalism doesn't exist' and the 'Christian nationalism is fringe' arguments to full-on 'Christian nationalism is the only way forward.'"

☆ Everything you need to know about Parler, the right-wing social media platform Kanye West is planning to buy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Allana Akhtar | Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Kanye West, now known as Ye, is in talks to buy right-wing social media platform Parler. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is entering a deal to buy right-wing social-media platform Parler, which launched in 2018. Meanwhile, Trump's platform Truth Social had 8,956,693 visitors, and Gab had 12,806,464 visitors, per Similarweb's analysis. What's on the Parler app? In February, Trump launched the Truth Social social media platform 13 months after being kicked off Facebook and Twitter after the January 6 Capitol riot.

☆ GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano's new ad uses same stock footage as Russian propaganda
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

An ad posted by the Doug Mastriano campaign uses footage previously featured in Russian propaganda. The stock footage of two young girls appears to have come from a videographer in Belarus. In July, a Russian embassy used the footage in an ad encouraging people to move to Russia. Twitter/Russian Embassy in SpainIt is not the first time that the campaign appears to have used stock footage from the site. The allure of stock footage — especially, of course, the free variety — is money.

☆ Kanye West’s biggest challenge with owning Parler may come from Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

After being banned from Twitter following the Jan. 6 insurrection, former President Donald Trump backed Truth Social, an alternative to Twitter. Perhaps the biggest wild card of all comes from West’s friend and fellow erratic rich guy, Elon Musk. The billionaire Tesla CEO appears closer than ever to taking over an already established platform, Twitter, with plans to cut back on its content restrictions. Conservative users uninterested in politics may also avoid the alternative platforms because of other objectionable content they host, according to experts who study the space. “Elon Musk could buy Twitter and say, ‘Trump, you’re back, Kanye, you’re back,’ and then Kanye is stuck owning a relatively defunct, somewhat irrelevant platform,” said Decker.

Oct 17 (Reuters) - American rapper Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, has agreed in principle to buy Parler, the social media platform popular among U.S. conservatives, parent company Parlement Technologies said on Monday. Parler, which launched in 2018, has been reinstated on Google and Apple Inc's app stores after being removed following the U.S. Capitol riots in January 2021. Parler is one of several social media platforms, including Gettr, Gab and Truth Social, that position themselves as free-speech alternatives to Twitter Inc (TWTR.N). Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterLast month, Parler created a new parent company, Parlement Technologies Inc, as part of an overhaul. The Parler deal came together quickly, CEO Farmer said, and Parlement was "presented with an opportunity."

☆ Why is Alex Jones getting sued — and why lawsuits are not enough
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Yunkang Yang | Dr. Yunkang Yang Is An Assistant Professor Of Communication At Texas A M University. An Expert In U.S. Right-Wing Media | Social Media | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

A Connecticut jury on Wednesday ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay nearly $1 billion for defaming the families of the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting victims. Misinformation purveyors often use a variety of rhetorical techniques to create misleading impressions without making demonstrably false statements. Indeed, misinformation purveyors often use a variety of rhetorical techniques to create misleading impressions without making demonstrably false statements. These different layers provide a multiplicity of points of resistance to the efforts to hold misinformation purveyors accountable. But they are not a solution to the lie machines built by incredibly savvy, incredibly cynical pundits like Alex Jones.

☆ Sick of toxic social media? Meet the tech revolutionaries who are working to create a healthier online experience that puts you in charge.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Evan Malmgren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Critics on both sides of the political divide say that social-media platforms have too much power over public discourse and use this power irresponsibly. In fact, a fresh wave of decentralized social networks is forming. What even is a decentralized platform? Still, decentralized and descaled social-media platforms pose a promising, if incremental, framework to address many ills of modern mass communication. "I compare it to the growth of organic, sustainably grown food," Bill Ottman, the founder and CEO of the partially decentralized social-media platform Minds, told me.

☆ Doug Mastriano accepts $500 donation from the founder of Gab, a self-styled Christian nationalist who says Jews are unwelcome in his far-right movement
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Pennsylvania Republican Doug Mastriano accepted $500 from Andrew Torba, the CEO of Gab. Torba is a self-styled Christian nationalist whose Gab website is favored by far-right extremists. Mastriano paid Gab $5,000 to promote his campaign but later said Torba "doesn't speak for me." Sign up for our newsletter to receive our top stories based on your reading preferences — delivered daily to your inbox. He has also said even conservative Jews are unwelcome, flatly stating, according to Media Matters: "We don't want people who are Jewish."

☆ Republican women who work on Capitol Hill are hesitant to sign up for conservative dating app backed by billionaire Peter Thiel: Daily Beast
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A dating app called The Right Stuff that hopes to attract conservatives is set to launch this month. Ryann McEnany, Kayleigh McEnany's sister, is leading outreach on Capitol Hill, per The Daily Beast. The app is having trouble getting Republican women on the Hill to sign up before launching. I'm working with John McEntee's team on an exclusive conservative dating app called The Right Stuff that's expected to launch this summer! "Also it's a dating app so you can simply unmatch or report anyone that's using the platform in a mean-spirited way," he wrote.

☆ Veterans criticize Doug Mastriano for wearing 'the uniform of traitors' after a photo of him in a Confederate outfit surfaces
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nearly 60 veterans signed a letter criticizing Doug Mastriano for wearing a Confederate uniform. Mastriano, a Pennsylvania Republican, wore the uniform in a faculty photo for the US Army War College. As Reuters reported in August, Mastriano — a state senator running for governor – chose to wear the Confederate uniform for a faculty photo at the US Army War College. Mastriano has battled claims of extremism since winning the GOP nomination with the help of former President Donald Trump. Mastriano paid the site $5,000 and praised its founder, Andrew Torba, an anti-Semite who identifies as a Christian nationalist.

Trump's Save America PAC released a photo showing the former president meeting with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on January 28. It added: "President Trump will always and forever be a champion for the American People." Millions of Trump supporters would likely follow Trump to a new political party — if he chose to break away from the Republican Party. Afterward, McCarthy predicted intraparty peace, saying in a statement: "President Trump committed to helping elect Republicans in the House and Senate in 2022." "President Trump has agreed to work with Leader McCarthy on helping the Republican Party to become a majority in the House."

☆ Cancelarul Germaniei Angela Merkel consideră „problematică” închiderea conturilor lui Donald Trump de pe Twitter şi Facebook
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-12 | by ( Diana Severin | ) www.zdg.md time to read: +3 min

Cancelarul german Angela Merkel consideră „problematică” închiderea de către Facebook, Twitter şi alte reţele de socializare a conturilor preşedintelui SUA în exerciţiu Donald Trump, a declarat purtătorul de cuvânt al acesteia, adăugând că legiuitorii, nu companiile private, ar trebui să decidă asupra oricăror restricții necesare liberei exprimări, scrie Reuters. „Din acest motiv, cancelarul (Merkel) consideră problematică închiderea definitivă a conturilor preşedintelui american pe reţelele de socializare”, a adăugat acesta. După violenţele produse miercuri în urma intrării simpatizanţilor săi în clădirea Capitoliului, reţelele de socializare Twitter şi Facebook i-au suspendat conturile preşedintelui Trump, iar ulterior au anunţat că i le închid pe termen nedefinit. El a postat apoi de contul oficial de Twitter al preşedinţiei SUA, @POTUS, dar mesajele sale au fost şterse imediat, potrivit Agerpres. Trump a promis că nu va fi redus la tăcere şi că va face curând un anunţ.

Persons: Angela Merkel, exerciţiu Donald Trump, Reuters, Merkel, german . Seibert, Trump, Adolf Hitler Organizations: Facebook, Agerpres, Google, Amazon, Fox News, American Media Locations: SUA, exerciţiu, Berlin, german, Snapchat, Reddit

☆ Reţeaua Parler caută web hosting, după ce a fost blocată de Apple, Google şi Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-11 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Reţeaua de socializare conservatoare Parler, preferată de simpatizanţii preşedintelui Donald Trump, nu mai era luni accesibilă, după ce compania Amazon i-a tăiat accesul la servere întrucât ''a observat recent o creştere persistentă a conţinuturilor violente'', relatează AFP şi DPA, citate de Agerpres. Anterior şi Apple şi Google au retras de pe platformele lor aplicaţia Parler, invocând ''ameninţări cu violenţe'' şi ''activităţi ilegale'', în contextul incidentelor de miercurea trecută, când simpatizanţii lui Trump au pătruns în clădirea Congresului. Cofondatorul Parler, John Matze, a declarat duminică postului Fox News că repunerea aplicaţiei în funcţiune ar putea dura şi a acuzat marile companii de internet că duc un ''război împotriva libertăţii de exprimare''. ''Toţi partenerii noştri, cei care gestionează textele, mesajele, avocaţii noştri, ne-au lăsat baltă în aceeaşi zi'', a deplâns acesta. Oprirea reţelei de socializare Parler îl privează pe preşedintele Donald Trump de încă un canal de comunicare, după ce Twitter şi Facebook i-au închis conturile pe durată nedeterminată.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Parler, John Matze Organizations: Amazon, Agerpres, Apple, Google, Congresului, Fox News, Facebook, American Media

„Se poate interfera în libertatea de exprimare, dar în limitele definite de legislator, nu prin decizia conducerii unei companii”, a declarat la o conferinţă de presă purtătorul de cuvânt al guvernului german Steffen Seibert. „Din acest motiv, cancelarul (Merkel) consideră problematică închiderea definitivă a conturilor preşedintelui american pe reţelele de socializare”, a adăugat acesta. Seibert a apreciat favorabil practica recentă a reţelelor de socializare de a adnota mesajele lui Trump, cu referiri la veridicitatea lor, întrucât „minciunile şi incitările la violenţă sunt evident foarte problematice”. Mai mult, marile companii de internet Alphabet, Google sau Amazon au blocat descărcarea aplicaţiei Parler, folosită de simpatizanţii lui Trump, alte companii mai mici, cum ar fi Twitch, Snapchat, Reddit, Shopify şi TikTok restricţionând de asemenea mesajele preşedintelui republican. Trump a promis că nu va fi redus la tăcere şi că va face curând un anunţ.

Persons: Merkel, german . Seibert, Trump, Reuters Organizations: Google, Amazon, Fox News, American Media Locations: german, Snapchat, Reddit

☆ Fact Check-Recommendation for social media ID requirements in Australia is from 2021 and has not been implemented
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-05 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Australia has not implemented “social credit” to access social media platforms, contrary to claims online. Social media users making this claim misrepresent a broadcast that dates to April 2021 about a proposal made by a parliamentary committee looking to reduce “technology-facilitated abuse”. Reuters found no evidence that the recommendation, which proposed requiring a form of identification in order to open a social media account, has been implemented. The Department for Social Services and the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. The circulating news video dates to April 2021 and describes a proposal by a committee of the Australian parliament looking into domestic and sexual abuse to require identification to access social media.

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