Moglen on Freedom Box and making a free net [LWN.net]

Moglen on Freedom Box and making a free net

Posted Feb 8, 2011 22:24 UTC (Tue) by coriordan (guest, #7544)
Parent article: Moglen on Freedom Box and making a free net

With the mass media currently praising Facebook for being an enabler of the uprisings, this talk was a good explanation of how social networking might have been an enabler, but the power that Facebook's executives wielded over the events was one of the most dangerous aspects.

The message I took was: don't fight against social networking because of a hatred for Facebook. Social networking is a powerful tool and we a freedom respecting version.

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Moglen on Freedom Box and making a free net

Posted Feb 11, 2011 4:50 UTC (Fri) by nicooo (guest, #69134) [Link] (2 responses)

What power? Facebook wasn't even available to the people in Egypt during most of the uprising.

Besides, these executives haven't used that power the media claims they have. This guilty until proven innocent attitude doesn't really work well with freedom and justice.

Moglen on Freedom Box and making a free net

Posted Feb 11, 2011 12:52 UTC (Fri) by coriordan (guest, #7544) [Link] (1 responses)

Not quite.

Media reports say the protests were organised via Facebook. That's possible because ISPs were only shut down on 27 Jan at 10pm. The protests began 25 Jan, which probably mean they were organised a day or two before that.

Beyond possible, it's also logical - protests being organised by Internet provides a motive for shutting down the Internet.

I haven't heard anyone contradict the claim that Facebook was used. All in all, it's credible. (It's information - it's neither innocent nor guilty.)

> these executives haven't used that power

I'm not sure what you're referring to here. You mean the power of Facebook's executive's to impede the organisation of the protests?

Whether they used it or not isn't the issue here. The problem is that they *have* this power. Uprisings shouldn't be at the mercy of Mark Zuckerberg.

Moglen on Freedom Box and making a free net

Posted Feb 11, 2011 12:59 UTC (Fri) by coriordan (guest, #7544) [Link]

Ah. You were referring to the power I mentioned here:

> the power that Facebook's executives wielded

Maybe you read "wielded" as "exercised"? It can also mean "have and be able to use".