[D66] Chris Hedges, David North Discuss How to Defend Internet Freedom

[A.O.]

https://www.truthdig.com/videos/watch-chris-hedges-david-north-discuss-defend-internet-freedom/

Governments around the world are attempting to control information in 
order to suppress opposition to war and inequality. On Tuesday, the 
World Socialist Web Site hosted a live discussion on Internet censorship 
with Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges and WSWS Chairperson David North. 
WSWS reporter Andre Damon moderated the discussion.

The webinar explored the political context of the efforts to censor the 
Internet and abolish net neutrality. It also examined the reasons used 
to justify the suppression of free speech (such as "fake news") and 
discussed political strategies to defend democratic rights.

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, and independent journalist 
John Pilger sent written statements that were read during the broadcast.

"The future of humanity is the struggle between humans that control 
machines and machines that control humans. Between the democratization 
of communication and usurpation of communication by artificial 
intelligence," read part of Assange's statement. "While the Internet has 
brought about a revolution in people's ability to educate themselves and 
others, the resulting democratic phenomena has shaken existing 
establishments to their core."

"Something has changed," read part of Pilger's statement. "Although the 
media was always a loose extension of capital power, it is now almost 
fully integrated. Dissent once tolerated in the mainstream has regressed 
to a metaphoric underground as liberal capitalism moves toward a form of 
corporate dictatorship."

"The elites seek and have been quite successful at ... channeling energy 
back into a dead system, i.e., the Democratic Party," Hedges said during 
the webinar. "This is why, not that he cared or it mattered, I would not 
endorse Bernie Sanders [during the 2016 presidential campaign]. Because 
all of that money, all of that energy---and remember, he even used the 
word revolution---ended up with him running around the country telling 
everyone to vote for Hillary [Clinton]."

Watch the whole discussion with Hedges and North above.