“hello literally everyone,” the official account of Twitter tweeted this afternoon, after Facebook and its affiliated platforms Instagram and WhatsApp went dark at about 11:40 this morning. The Facebook outage lasted for more than six hours and appears to have been caused by an internal error. But the void caused by the absence of the internet giant illustrated its power at a time when the use of that power has come under scrutiny.
I subscribed to your letter yesterday after all the news about Facebook. Now, the first thing I will open in the morning will be the e-mail with your letter, not Facebook. I will still watch your videos (which I love) and keep up with my family, but I have decided to cut WAY back on my FB time.
Although I am on Social Security, and the debt ceiling could impact my income, my biggest concern is the lack of action on the Freedom to Vote Act. I live in Wisconsin, the most gerrymandered state in the union. The Freedom to Vote Act is the only way progressives in our state will be able to have our voices heard.
Facebook is a problem, McConnell is a threat. He has imperiled our democracy as much as Trump in his years-long campaign to establish minority rule in this country. The filibuster must go or the Democrats will surely suffer defeat in 2022 without a voting rights law, infrastructure spending and climate change initiatives. It is time for the Democrats to put down their nail clippers and get out the brass knuckles.
Every person who receives a Social Security check each month are watching to see if the Republicans are going to keep the checks coming, or if we (and there are a lot of us out here) will start defaulting on our debts. One third of the Senate is up for re-election in 2022. How does your elected Senator vote? If you are not registered, get registered, support those running who share your values. These people are only where they are because we citizens elect them. We hold the power.
I believe your last sentence may be the clue to the Republicans actions. No Voting Rights Bill as long as Congress is tied up with the debt issues. It seems planned this way.
"McConnell is holding the nation hostage to keep the Democrats from passing a very popular bill, and today, Biden called him on it. McConnell complained that congressional Democrats were 'sleepwalking toward significant and avoidable danger,' prompting Biden to demand that Republicans 'stop playing Russian roulette with the U.S. economy.... Not only are Republicans refusing to do their job, but threatening to use their power to prevent us from doing our job—saving the economy from a catastrophic event—I think, quite frankly, is hypocritical, dangerous and disgraceful. Their obstruction and irresponsibility knows absolutely no bounds.'"
McTurtle has constantly played Russian Roulette with the Democrats. His viciousness has no end. He made life miserable for Obama and will continue to do so for Biden. Surely, there must be something in the Pandora Papers to make him crawl into his shell and stay there for a while. The power he wields -- and uses at every turn -- goes beyond what should be allowed for any senator.
As someone earlier suggested, I hope McTurtleneck is outed on the Pandora Papers. He needs to have his legs cut out from under him. Biden calling him out won't do much unless he does so everyday for the next two weeks.If people hear it enough that McTurtleneck is standing in the way, they will start to believe, right? Biden needs to continue to use his "bully pulpit" to be a bully. Unfortunately, being a bully is not in his blood. Now, McTurtleneck was schooled on being a bully at the same school as tRump.
On another point.... it is interesting that the insurrectionists found the "weakness" in the windows. I don't find conspiracies helpful, but this one sounds more like the truth. It's time for the Jan 6 commission to get to work.
Biden said, "...prevent us from doing our job—saving the economy from a catastrophic event—I think, quite frankly, is hypocritical, dangerous and disgraceful." It's also unpatriotic. Republicans are willing burn the house down in order to continue their agenda of obstruction. Ordinary Americans live in that house. If the U.S. defaults, Social Security and Disability payments will stop. Federal workers will not get paid. Our creditworthiness will be downgraded and it is estimated that 6 million Americans will lose their jobs as we fall into a recession.
It's clear that Republicans are playing hardball in order to obstruct highly popular Democratic legislation so they can relegate Biden to a lame duck administration. Here's the catch: Their very supporters who would benefit most from Democratic proposals are threatened with ruin so Republicans can blame Democrats for their ruin. The sad part is that R supporters don't even realize the depth of this deception. In the end, however, Republicans will get on board so they won't be blamed for sinking the boat. This game of chicken moves us closer to economic peril.
I am astounded and frankly annoyed by the obsession with FB and Instagram, re negative impact on young women and our democracy. Both seem to me to arise from long standing problems. Advertisers have gone after self-esteem in women and girls for decades, undermining their confidence so they will buy products they don't need. This is an old game, going back to pin-up girls, and you can also add most pornography to the mix .
As to stoking divisions and misinformation: excuse me? I think Fox News and Rush Limbaugh and all the right wing talk radio shows play a far bigger role in telling lies, dividing our country, and putting democracy at risk. If we obsess on Facebook, we are missing the bigger picture on both counts. I think it is a distraction. How about demanding the FCC re-establish some rules for the road for ALL media , including sanctioning out-right lies and misinformation, and establishing equal time requirements (which were eliminated under Reagan)? Katie Cameron
We begin every day with these Letters. Thank you, Dr. Richardson!
Something we've recently found very helpful to read after the daily Letters is Robert B. Hubbell's "Today's Edition Newsletter". Mr. Hubbell takes much of what we're learning from Heather (and from our other news gathering) and puts it in a calm, actionable perspective. Anyone else doing this? Highly recommended!
Well, this is pretty grim news. Biden and McConnell in a game of debt-ceiling "chicken" to the death (of our nation).
Either a couple of Republicans need to be convinced, or a way to convince Manchin and Sinema needs to be found, but ending the filibuster is the only solution. This has been clear for many months, and time is running out very quickly.
As a journalist, member of the faculty of Singularity University, and software developer I have warned about tech giants, notably Facebook, which -- like gun manufacturers in America -- uniquely are exempted from liability for any damage they caused by content published on their platforms. Here is a piece -- https://www.the-american-interest.com/2017/11/27/tech-giants-must-reined/ -- I wrote in 2017 about the damage PURPOSELY PLANNED by Facebook against vulnerable, depressed teenagers. Nothing changed and now the Wall Street Journal series obtained help from a whistleblower who leaked research proving the damage they caused.
All corporations must be liable for damage they cause. Only that will stop this abuse.
As to what is (not) happening in D.C. with regards to the debt ceiling, what an absolute clusterf**k! I suggested weeks ago that McConnell’s game was to force the use of reconciliation to raise the debt ceiling so it would not be available for use on Biden’s desperately needed infrastructure plan; looks like I was right. Disgusting that he sees his own agenda for personal power and wealth as more important than delivering lifesaving measures to the people who elected him.
As to the Facebook et al outage yesterday, I discovered that I liked not having it available, and am strongly considering deleting my account.
I subscribed to your letter yesterday after all the news about Facebook. Now, the first thing I will open in the morning will be the e-mail with your letter, not Facebook. I will still watch your videos (which I love) and keep up with my family, but I have decided to cut WAY back on my FB time.
Although I am on Social Security, and the debt ceiling could impact my income, my biggest concern is the lack of action on the Freedom to Vote Act. I live in Wisconsin, the most gerrymandered state in the union. The Freedom to Vote Act is the only way progressives in our state will be able to have our voices heard.
"Meanwhile, every day this drags on, Congress does not pass the Freedom to Vote Act." My biggest worry.
Facebook is a problem, McConnell is a threat. He has imperiled our democracy as much as Trump in his years-long campaign to establish minority rule in this country. The filibuster must go or the Democrats will surely suffer defeat in 2022 without a voting rights law, infrastructure spending and climate change initiatives. It is time for the Democrats to put down their nail clippers and get out the brass knuckles.
Every person who receives a Social Security check each month are watching to see if the Republicans are going to keep the checks coming, or if we (and there are a lot of us out here) will start defaulting on our debts. One third of the Senate is up for re-election in 2022. How does your elected Senator vote? If you are not registered, get registered, support those running who share your values. These people are only where they are because we citizens elect them. We hold the power.
I believe your last sentence may be the clue to the Republicans actions. No Voting Rights Bill as long as Congress is tied up with the debt issues. It seems planned this way.
"McConnell is holding the nation hostage to keep the Democrats from passing a very popular bill, and today, Biden called him on it. McConnell complained that congressional Democrats were 'sleepwalking toward significant and avoidable danger,' prompting Biden to demand that Republicans 'stop playing Russian roulette with the U.S. economy.... Not only are Republicans refusing to do their job, but threatening to use their power to prevent us from doing our job—saving the economy from a catastrophic event—I think, quite frankly, is hypocritical, dangerous and disgraceful. Their obstruction and irresponsibility knows absolutely no bounds.'"
McTurtle has constantly played Russian Roulette with the Democrats. His viciousness has no end. He made life miserable for Obama and will continue to do so for Biden. Surely, there must be something in the Pandora Papers to make him crawl into his shell and stay there for a while. The power he wields -- and uses at every turn -- goes beyond what should be allowed for any senator.
"Meanwhile, every day this drags on, Congress does not pass the Freedom to Vote Act."
That is the biggest issue of all.
As someone earlier suggested, I hope McTurtleneck is outed on the Pandora Papers. He needs to have his legs cut out from under him. Biden calling him out won't do much unless he does so everyday for the next two weeks.If people hear it enough that McTurtleneck is standing in the way, they will start to believe, right? Biden needs to continue to use his "bully pulpit" to be a bully. Unfortunately, being a bully is not in his blood. Now, McTurtleneck was schooled on being a bully at the same school as tRump.
On another point.... it is interesting that the insurrectionists found the "weakness" in the windows. I don't find conspiracies helpful, but this one sounds more like the truth. It's time for the Jan 6 commission to get to work.
Biden said, "...prevent us from doing our job—saving the economy from a catastrophic event—I think, quite frankly, is hypocritical, dangerous and disgraceful." It's also unpatriotic. Republicans are willing burn the house down in order to continue their agenda of obstruction. Ordinary Americans live in that house. If the U.S. defaults, Social Security and Disability payments will stop. Federal workers will not get paid. Our creditworthiness will be downgraded and it is estimated that 6 million Americans will lose their jobs as we fall into a recession.
It's clear that Republicans are playing hardball in order to obstruct highly popular Democratic legislation so they can relegate Biden to a lame duck administration. Here's the catch: Their very supporters who would benefit most from Democratic proposals are threatened with ruin so Republicans can blame Democrats for their ruin. The sad part is that R supporters don't even realize the depth of this deception. In the end, however, Republicans will get on board so they won't be blamed for sinking the boat. This game of chicken moves us closer to economic peril.
I am astounded and frankly annoyed by the obsession with FB and Instagram, re negative impact on young women and our democracy. Both seem to me to arise from long standing problems. Advertisers have gone after self-esteem in women and girls for decades, undermining their confidence so they will buy products they don't need. This is an old game, going back to pin-up girls, and you can also add most pornography to the mix .
As to stoking divisions and misinformation: excuse me? I think Fox News and Rush Limbaugh and all the right wing talk radio shows play a far bigger role in telling lies, dividing our country, and putting democracy at risk. If we obsess on Facebook, we are missing the bigger picture on both counts. I think it is a distraction. How about demanding the FCC re-establish some rules for the road for ALL media , including sanctioning out-right lies and misinformation, and establishing equal time requirements (which were eliminated under Reagan)? Katie Cameron
We begin every day with these Letters. Thank you, Dr. Richardson!
Something we've recently found very helpful to read after the daily Letters is Robert B. Hubbell's "Today's Edition Newsletter". Mr. Hubbell takes much of what we're learning from Heather (and from our other news gathering) and puts it in a calm, actionable perspective. Anyone else doing this? Highly recommended!
Here's today's: https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/todays-edition-democrats-have-a-path
When you write to Facebook (i.e., post), the whole world might be listening. When you write your Congressman, no one is.
Well, this is pretty grim news. Biden and McConnell in a game of debt-ceiling "chicken" to the death (of our nation).
Either a couple of Republicans need to be convinced, or a way to convince Manchin and Sinema needs to be found, but ending the filibuster is the only solution. This has been clear for many months, and time is running out very quickly.
As a journalist, member of the faculty of Singularity University, and software developer I have warned about tech giants, notably Facebook, which -- like gun manufacturers in America -- uniquely are exempted from liability for any damage they caused by content published on their platforms. Here is a piece -- https://www.the-american-interest.com/2017/11/27/tech-giants-must-reined/ -- I wrote in 2017 about the damage PURPOSELY PLANNED by Facebook against vulnerable, depressed teenagers. Nothing changed and now the Wall Street Journal series obtained help from a whistleblower who leaked research proving the damage they caused.
All corporations must be liable for damage they cause. Only that will stop this abuse.
Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Messenger all down for hours...
Well, to quote the Wicked Witch of the West, “Who would have thought that. some little girl like you could. destroy my beautiful wickedness.”
🙏 Thank you Frances Haugen for throwing a bucket of water on these evil doers.
As to what is (not) happening in D.C. with regards to the debt ceiling, what an absolute clusterf**k! I suggested weeks ago that McConnell’s game was to force the use of reconciliation to raise the debt ceiling so it would not be available for use on Biden’s desperately needed infrastructure plan; looks like I was right. Disgusting that he sees his own agenda for personal power and wealth as more important than delivering lifesaving measures to the people who elected him.
As to the Facebook et al outage yesterday, I discovered that I liked not having it available, and am strongly considering deleting my account.