The Federalist: Facebook Complicit in Vietnam’s Repression of Online Freedom

Friday, December 11, 2020

Facebook Complicit in Vietnam’s Repression of Online Freedom

Fuck Zuck 2020

The internet brought mankind the promise of freedom - - - Facebook and Google work 24-7 to turn that freedom into a Police State.

(Radio Free Asia) - U.S.-based tech giants Facebook and Google are “complicit in industrial-scale repression” in Vietnam by helping the communist government in Hanoi block content, according to a new report released this week by Amnesty International.

In “’Let us Breathe!’: Censorship and criminalization of online expression in Vietnam”, Amnesty International (AI) documents how the two tech companies abet Hanoi’ suppression of online discourse by blocking content considered to be critical of authorities, while government-linked groups “harass everyday users into silence and fear.”

“In the last decade, the right to freedom of expression flourished on Facebook and YouTube in Vietnam. More recently, however, authorities began focusing on peaceful online expression as an existential threat to the regime,” said Ming Yu Hah, AI’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns in a statement.

“Today these platforms have become hunting grounds for censors, military cyber-troops and state-sponsored trolls. The platforms themselves are not merely letting it happen – they’re increasingly complicit,” she said.

AI compiled the report after interviewing dozens of rights activists and defenders and using data from Facebook and Google. Among the interviewees were former prisoners of conscience, lawyers, journalists and writers.

The report highlights how Hanoi detains 170 prisoners of conscience, including 69 who are in prison for their social media activities. The total represents a “significant increase” over the 128 prisoners of conscience estimated by AI in 2018.

AI says the tech companies are more concerned about their bottom line than about human rights. In 2018 Facebook made U.S. $1 billion in Vietnam, or about a third of its total revenue for the Southeast Asian region. Google, meanwhile, made $475 million, mostly from YouTube advertising over the same period.

“Facebook is by far the most popular and profitable platform in Vietnam. Businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights wherever they operate in the world, and Vietnam is no exception,” said Ming Yu Hah.

“The company could be doing much more to push back against Vietnam’s heinous repression. For millions of Vietnamese netizens, Facebook was the great hope for helping to build a free and open society – and it still has the power to be,” she said.

In April, AI and New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) among other rights groups criticized Facebook’s decision to comply with requests from the Vietnamese government to censor “anti-state” content in Vietnam, after its servers there were held hostage by Hanoi. For about seven weeks, Facebook was often not usable by its 65 million users in Vietnam with its servers offline.

The government argued that the social media platform should “adhere to local laws,” and the rights groups said that Facebook had kowtowed to Hanoi’s “extortion.”

“The decision by Facebook may have far-reaching global consequences, as other repressive governments around the world may now seek to apply a similar strategy by forcing Facebook and other technology companies to restrict online expression,” the report said.

After analyzing Facebook’s latest transparency report on its activities in Vietnam, the report revealed that the social media giant increased content restrictions by 983 percent since its decision to comply with Hanoi went into effect.

Google meanwhile drew fire for similarly restricting YouTube content considered sensitive by Hanoi.

“YouTube is trying to prevent people from telling the truth, even when people are just reporting fact … This affects everyone in society, including victims of human rights violations,” a YouTuber identified in the report as An told AI.

An said that the restrictions on freedom of expression are preventing people from promoting and protecting human rights in Vietnam. “Let us breathe!” the title of the report, comes from An’s sentiments of how silenced Vietnamese feel toward tech companies operating in the country.

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Thomas Pinckney, Federalist

Commissioned as captain in the 1st South Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army. After seeing much action, he became an aide-de-camp to General Horatio Gates. He was captured by the British at the disastrous Battle of Camden in 1780. After recovering from his wounds, he was released in a prisoner exchange. In 1781 he fought under Lafayette in Virginia. Appointed by President George Washington to be the U.S. minister to Great Britain served as Envoy Extraordinary to Spain. The Federalist Party made him a candidate in the 1796 presidential election as the intended running-mate of John Adams. Served as Congressman and Governor of South Carolina. Served as a major general in the Army during the War of 1812.

Henry Lee III, Federalist

Major General "Light-Horse Harry" Lee fought at the battles of Paulus Hook, Guilford Court House, Eutaw Springs, Yorktown and the Whiskey Rebellion. Federalist Congressman from Virginia, Governor of Virginia. Father of Robert E. Lee. In 1812 Lee was attacked by a Jeffersonian mob of Democratic-Republicans while defending a Federalist newspaper from attack. Lee and the other Federalists were beaten and tortured by the mob over the next three hours. Lee was left partially blinded after hot wax was poured into his eyes. The men were left for dead. All were severely injured, and one Federalist, General James Lingan, died.

Frederick Frelinghuysen, Federalist

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Stephen Van Rensselaer, Federalist

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WILLIAM PATERSON, Federalist

James Hillhouse, Federalist

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Robert Goodloe Harper, Federalist

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Jacob Read, Federalist

Alexander Contee Hanson, Federalist

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William Bingham, Federalist

As a merchant he brought full loads of munitions & guns for the war. Served as a diplomat for Congress to France. Bingham marshaled the Second Troop of Philadelphia Light Horse. He served in the Continental Congress, 1st Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, State Senator, and US Senator. Federalists agreed to hold preliminary votings at the Bingham Estate before propositions were brought before Congress publicly, thus creating unanimity among party lines. Alexander Hamilton sought Bingham as his mentor in managing taxes, tariffs, and in constructing a national bank.

Ezekiel Whitman, Federalist

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David Cobb, Federalist

Cobb studied medicine in Boston and practiced in Taunton, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress in 1775; lieutenant colonel of Jackson’s regiment in 1777 and 1778, serving in Rhode Island and New Jersey; was aide-de-camp on the staff of General George Washington; appointed major general of militia in 1786. Fought in the New York and New Jersey Campaign, the Battles of Springfield, Monmouth, Rhode Island and Shay's Rebellion. He served the Federalist Party as Lt. Governor of Massachusetts, President of the State Senate and Congressman.

Josiah Parker, Federalist

In 1775 Parker enlisted in the Continental Army. He was commissioned a major in the 5th Virginia Regiment in 1776 and became its colonel in 1778. His regiment served in Virginia under General Charles Lee and was transferred to George Washington. The regiment thereafter saw action at the Battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. During Cornwallis's Virginia campaign in 1781, the notorious Colonel Tarleton ransacked his home. He was elected to the First US Congress from Virginia serving for twelve years.

William Stephens Smith, Federalist

Smith married Abigail "Nabby" Adams, the daughter of President John Adams, and so was a brother-in-law of President John Quincy Adams, and an uncle of Charles Francis Adams. Served in the Revolutionary Army as aide-de-camp to General John Sullivan. Fought in the Battle of Long Island, was wounded at Harlem Heights, Battle of White Plains, was promoted to lieutenant colonel at the Battle of Trenton, fought at the Battle of Monmouth and Newport. He was on the staff of General Lafayette, became an adjutant in the Corps of Light Infantry, then transferred to the staff of George Washington. Elected as a Federalist Congressman from New York.

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John Rutledge, Jr., Federalist

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John Sergeant, Federalist

Member of the Pennsylvania state house of representatives 1808-1810; elected as a Federalist to Congress and served from 1815, to 1823. Sergeant was a strong backer of Henry Clay's American System and the Second Bank of the United States, and even traveled to Europe to negotiate loans to the Bank. He was a strong opponent of slavery who voted against the Missouri Compromise. In 1826 he was an envoy to the Panama Congress. Elected to Congress as an Adams candidate 1827 to 1829. Failing re-election he became legal counsel to the Bank of the United States. Sergeant was the Vice Presidential running mate in Henry Clay's campaign on the National Republican ticket in 1832. Elected as a Whig to Congress serving from 1837 to 1841.

John Laurance, Federalist

Philip Barton Key, Federalist

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