Censorship Alert: the Alternative Media Getting Harassed by the NSA | New Eastern Outlook

Google’s Safe Browsing List that blocks websites and flags them as containing malware is increasingly used as mechanism for the censoring of independent media and the falsification of history. It is an alarming development that, left unchallenged, puts the survival of any independent newspaper, blog, TV or radio station at risk.. Over the past months the list has apparently been used to target websites critical of U.S.’ involvement in the wars in the Middle East, U.S.’ involvement in Ukraine and independent media who are publishing material that is critical of Zionism.

Google’s Safe Browsing List translates into the blocking of websites which allegedly contain malware. Instead of showing the website one is presented with a red-colored Google page that warns that the URL in question has been blocked because it contains malware. Ultimately, being flagged on the list can also result in the removal of the flagged websites from Google’s search engine. Being flagged, blocked or removed from search engines can have devastating results for independent journalists and media who are struggling to finance investigative journalism, rather than regurgitating alternative versions of Reuters and other major news agencies. The targeting of independent media and journalists is especially noteworthy when one considers Google’s close cooperation with the United States’ National Security Agency (NSA).

Incestuous Relationships between Google, Apple, Microsoft, their Subsidiaries, and the NSA.

Google’s close cooperation with the NSA is a well-documented fact. An article from May 7, entitled ”Is Google in cahoots with the NSA? Email leak reveals close relationship”, published in Tech Times, reveals that the close cooperation between Google and the NSA was documented long before NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden told the world what most who cared to investigate already knew. The article quotes emails between NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander and Google executives Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt from 2011 and 2012. Tech Times states:

”In the mails, the Google executives sound friendly and cooperative. Alexander’s emails hint at the importance of ´Google’s participation in refinement, engineering and deployment of solutions`to cyber threats”.

The article also details the fact that the NSA chief had invited CEOs of key companies including Google, Apple, and Microsoft to classified briefings. What is important about these three key corporations cooperation with the NSA is that they are economically interrelated with most other, commercial Internet providers, including web-hosting companies, firms which provide Internet security products, as well as advertising companies who sell advertising on everything from blogs over smaller independent media to major corporate newspapers. The following are recent examples, which demonstrate how this incestuous relationship translates into the targeting of independent media, censorship and the falsification of history.

October 6, nsnbc received an e-mail from the Internet security provider SiteLock, warning that there was a serious malware issue pertaining some articles published in nsnbc. SiteLock stressed that the issue had to be resolved within 72 hours if nsnbc international wanted to avoid being added to Google’s Safe Browsing List and have the site withdrawn from nsnbc’s web-host, which among many other web hosts is a business partner of Site Lock.

Complete story at - Censorship Alert: the Alternative Media Getting Harassed by the NSA | New Eastern Outlook

This Is How The US Government Convinces A Newspaper To Kill A Story | Zero Hedge

Submitted by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog,

Under President George W. Bush, the White House urged reporters to withhold accounts about many of the most contentious aspects in the war on terrorism: the existence of a secret prison in Thailand, the Central Intelligence Agency’s interrogation and detention program, warrantless wiretapping and government monitoring of financial transactions.

The Obama administration has persuaded reporters to delay publishing the existence of a drone base in Saudi Arabia, the name of a country in which a drone strike against an American citizen was being considered, the fact that a diplomat arrested in Pakistan was a C.I.A. officer and that an American businessman was working for the agency when he disappeared in Iran.

- From the New York Times article: Condoleezza Rice Testifies on Urging The Times to Not Run Article

The timidness with which mainstream media in the U.S. approaches news has been well documented. In fact, the inability of traditional media to do a reasonable job of holding powerful interests accountable has been one of the primary drivers behind the ascendency of alternative news. Despite this reality, one thing we know less about is specifically how the power structure goes about suppressing news it doesn’t want reaching the plebs. Until now.

Ironically, the New York Times reported on its own prior inability to report the news:

WASHINGTON — White House officials favor two primary tactics when they want to kill a news article, Condoleezza Rice, the former national security adviser, testified Thursday: They can essentially confirm the report by arguing that it is too important to national security to be published, or they can say that the reporter has it wrong.

Sitting across from a reporter and editor from The New York Times in early 2003, Ms. Rice said, she tried both.

Complete story at - This Is How The US Government Convinces A Newspaper To Kill A Story | Zero Hedge

A Welcome “Sign of the Times”… | Voices from Russia

Well, well, well. The Moscow Times shuts down it's commenting function. Seems too many people did not like their reporting and their sucking up to all things western.

I saw this on the pro-Western pro-neoliberal Moscow Times:

Dear reader,

Due to the increasing number of users engaging in personal attacks, spam, trolling, and abusive comments, we are no longer able to host our forum as a site for constructive and intelligent debate. It is with regret, therefore, that we have found ourselves forced to suspend the commenting function on our articles. The Moscow Times remains committed to the principle of public debate and hopes to welcome you to a new, constructive forum in the future.

Regards,

The Moscow Times

A friend of mine at the Centre informs me that nobody likes this rag except for expats, those who suck up to them, and extremist zapadniki. That is, most of the comment was negative, so, these American-conservative-style babies pulled the comments. They favoured the neoliberal pig Prokhorov in the election… someone who wanted to sell the country to Soros for his own benefit. Pass the jug and cheer… it means that the plug-uglies got it in the neck. Of course, they ain’t gonna shut up, but Vova isn’t going to shut them down. He knows that next-to-nobody reads them. This means that Potapov’s effort to export Americanism has failed… he’s grown grey in treachery, but all of his exertions for Langley have come to nought. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy…

Complete story at - 18 January 2015. A Welcome “Sign of the Times”… | Voices from Russia

“Anti-Maidan” Channel Pulled by YouTube… Sources Tell Me Uniates Behind this Tragedy | Voices from Russia

THIS is how the present junta in the Ukraine came to power… through an anti-constitutional coup (President Yanukovich didn’t resign in a proper and legal fashion… the neofascist junta took power without an election or referendum). Fancy that they scream about “the rule of law”, when they didn’t follow it in the least! “Winning is the only thing”…

______________________________

One of the best “go-to” YouTube channels documenting Uniate war crimes in Novorossiya is no more. Sources tell me that Uniates ganged up and accused them of “hate speech”. There are ways of avoiding this. Firstly, don’t EVER succumb to provocations from Uniate cybertrolls. Their intent is to accuse you of “hate speech”. My advice is to not answer ANY Uniate comment in any forum directly. DO NOT DO THIS. They WILL accuse you of “hate speech”. What you can do is to make reasoned comments, however, you must understand that a standard Uniate tactic is to pile on any comment that they find “anti-Ukrainian”, make personal accusations about the poster, hoping that’ll provoke them to anger. Then, the Uniates go crying to the site administrator, claiming that you’re “offending” them and demanding YOUR removal.

Firstly, always make it clear that you’re not making comments on any individual or group of individuals… that is, don’t fall into the “hate trap”. Yes… they don’t “fight fair”… live with it. They believe in “winning is the only thing”, just like their Anglo masters do. You must NEVER reach into the gutter, even though this-or-that interlocutor may do so. Stick to facts… S A Bandera WAS a felon… he was in a Polish prison for murder. The Galizien Division WAS in the SS, and it did participate in war crimes. The OUN DID murder thousands of Poles in Volyn… the monuments to the dead exist. Galician Uniates were NOT part of the so-called “Famine”… they were in Poland, and didn’t suffer at all. Both the PACE and the UN rejected the fairy tale of the “Famine”… however, a famine in conjunction with Collectivisation DID take place, but it wasn’t genocide, as it didn’t target a nationality, nor was it a planned action. Actually, most of the famine occurred because peasants destroyed livestock and crops rather than turn them over to the Kolkhoz… that is, sadly, a good deal of it was self-imposed (I realise that this WILL open me up to all sort of accusations, but one MUST speak the truth). You do NOT destroy your basis of livelihood! What happened is that the communists requisitioned grain for the cities (for the workers DID support the Reds) and since the peasants destroyed their surplus, it meant that they had nothing to live on. The areas worst-hit were in Kazakhstan and the Upper Volga, not the Ukrainian SSR!

Also, bear in mind that not all Uniates are the same. Most of the feral sorts identify as “Ukrainian Catholic”. I’d say that virtually ALL “Byzantine Catholics” are guiltless and aren’t part of the fascist “amen corner”. That’s because most of these people arrived before 1920, and, furthermore, most of them came from Podkarpatskaya, not Galicia (the former was under Hungary, the latter under Austria, and that DID mean something in the pre-World War I Dual Monarchy). In fact, I have Byzantine Catholics who’re part of my Cabinet… the murderous enormities of the Galician Uniates sicken them to no end. As for “Ukrainian Catholics”, there are two groups. One group is much like the Byzantine Catholics, they came from Austria-Hungary prior to 1920. I’ve found that most of these people are sane and that most reject the war crimes of the present Kiev junta. However, they must keep silence due to pressure from post-World War II DPs (and their families)… many of whom were Nazi collaborationists. Some have told me that a group of neofascists took over the “Ukrainian Catholics” after World War II. In fact, in many such parishes, there are two liturgies… one for the sane people, the other for the “gun runners” (that’s what one disgusted person calls them). These nutters even oppose the use of Staroslav! They insist that everything has to be in modern Ukrainian… they don’t even like their own traditions!

Be careful… as you can see, there are guilty parties and guiltless parties. Don’t ever mix them up. Yet, if a Uniate cybertroll crosses your path, LET THEM BE! What is best is to avoid the venues where they congregate. It’s not worth the trouble to refute them. They’re well-organised in the diaspora… we Russian Orthodox aren’t… our disunity and lack of a common purpose hobble us. That is, our problem is more intramural than external… we need to “get our shit together”… our enemies do take advantage of it, and our voice isn’t heard, in consequence.

Keep it focused! DO NOT HATE! Remember that these loud SOBs aren’t the whole group. Oppose them… counter lies with truth… but, please, do keep it straight. We’re the voice of our compatriots and coreligionists in the West… let’s do it right. Keep the faith…

Complete story at - 8 January 2015. “Anti-Maidan” Channel Pulled by YouTube… Sources Tell Me Uniates Behind this Tragedy | Voices from Russia

Ukraine TV channel Inter removes Russia New Year programmes over licence-stripping threats > Strategic-Culture.org

Ukrainian TV channel Inter cancelled broadcasting of several earlier announced Russian-made programmes due to calls to strip it of its licence made by several politicians, including Secretary of Ukrainian National Security Council Aleksander Turchinov, the TV channel said in a statement posted on its website.

“Due to a string of groundless public accusations against TV channel Inter we had to make drastic changes in our festive broadcasting schedule,” the statement said, noting that “since the evening of January 1, 2015 the Inter television has removed all festive concerts and musicals, including those of our production announced earlier.”

“These steps are a forced response to the hysteria which has sparked up over the TV channel on January 1, 2015, when Inter came under a shower of provocative unfounded charges for showing entertaining festive projects, though they fully meet Ukrainian legislation requirements.”

The TV channel also noted that “they have a practice to work in strict compliance with Ukrainian law, not in information chaos, when a threat to revoke a licence from the TV channel has emerged artificially on the basis of unproven accusations in social networks and public emotional statements by several state officials and politicians.”

Overnight to January 1, Inter has broadcast a New Year programme of a Russian TV channel which featured artists who once voiced their public support to Moscow’s position regarding the crisis in Ukraine.

Ukrainian politicians, including Turchinov and Culture Minister Vyacheslav Kirilenko said they were indignant with Inter’s policy. Different threats were cast against the TV channel, including a ban for broadcasting.

In this regard, the Ukrainian national television and radio broadcasting council will consider January 15 the issue of broadcasting a performance of Russian entertainers on the Inter television on the New Year night. “I want to invite public figures, representatives of TV channels, members of parliamentary committee for the freedom of speech and information policy, the National Security and Defence Council to attend the meeting in order not only to settle the situation, but also to draw conclusions,” national council’s chief Yuri Artemenko said. Meanwhile, he noted that only a court may strip Inter of its licence.

Complete story at - Ukraine TV channel Inter removes Russia New Year programmes over licence-stripping threats > Strategic-Culture.org - Strategic Culture Foundation

15 Russian TV channels banned in Ukraine | Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI).

KIEV, September 10 (RAPSI) – Ukraine's media regulator on Wednesday came out with a list of 15 banned Russian TV channels.

The list includes Channel One. Global Network, RTR Planeta, NTV Mir, Russia 24, TVCI, Rossiya 1, NTV, TNT, St. Petersburg Channel 5, Zvezda, Ren TV, RBC TV, Life News, RT and History Channel.

In July, a Ukrainian court banned Russian Channel One. Global Network, RTR Planeta, Russia 24, NTV Mir and TV Center International (TVCI) at the request of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting. Initially, the list was to include 14 Russian TV channels.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry defined suspension of the channels as infringement on the freedom of the media. Channel One Director General Konstantin Ernst called on the Ukrainian authorities to revoke the decision that is “in conflict with the rules of international law and subscribers’ interests.”

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic expressed concern over the Ukrainian council’s request that the national operators stop broadcasting Russian television channels. She said: “Banning programming without a legal basis is a form of censorship; national security concerns should not be used at the expense of media freedom.”

Complete story at - 15 Russian TV channels banned in Ukraine | Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI).

Europe: A Union of Common Censorship — RT Op-Edge

For once Brussels has unified Europe, albeit by marrying Kafka with Orwell in a modern day Ministry of Truth.

Freedom is fundamental to prosperity. Those who cherish freedom most are often those who have not always enjoyed it. Thus the souls whose lives were blighted by Communist totalitarianism often rejoice at the simplest pleasures, even 25 years after the evils of the system were unraveled across Europe. Their joy in being able to travel has been hugely enhanced by that core Western value - freedom. Unfortunately, just as the European Union appears to have forgotten how to create prosperity, so, too, it seems to have gone somewhat patchy on the notion of freedom.

The latest developments on censorship expand upon the core carping of the politically correct - a group whose senses of humor, irony and objectivity were obviously removed when doctors meant to go for their tonsils during childhood. Pardon my ignorance, but what was so bad with the simple maxim “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will not affect me?” Back in the day it was fair to say “it’s a free country” and get on with life...but no more.

The latest political insanity comes from meddlesome Brussels bigots and their judicial cousins at the European Court of Justice, or the liberal loonies of Luxembourg as they deserve to be named. The phrase Orwellian is often overused but here it is justified after the ECJ upheld the utterly daft “right to be forgotten.” It was driven by the desire of a Spaniard to have his name expunged from the records. This man, Mario Costeja from Gailicia, claims to have been against totalitarian regimes from a childhood spent under the Franco era dictatorship. He was deeply affronted because apparently he sold his house before the taxman endeavored to repossess it. Readers will doubtless ponder the deep irony that Mr Mario Costeja has now become a footnote in history for having a squabble with the Spanish tax office, precisely because he had the record eradicated from the internet… However the search “Mario Costeja right to be forgotten” returned a mere 12,800 results on a well-known search engine last evening, which suggests Mr Costeja has rather opened a can of worms for himself. At the same time, it is intriguing to ponder just what on earth the EU, which has been discussing this daft oxymoron of the “right to be forgotten” for some time, was thinking.

Complete story at - Europe: A Union of Common Censorship — RT Op-Edge

The Unwashed Brain: KIEV'S WAR ON VIDEO

Something unprecedented is happening in Ukraine.

For decades the US and its proxies have committed war crimes with total impunity. They’ve trampled on just about every humanitarian convention there’s ever been, and the most they’ve had to fear is a Wikileaks-type exposé in a safely distant future.

Not in Ukraine. For the first time ever the world is seeing these crimes first hand and immediately – sometimes while they’re still happening. Poor villagers of Afghanistan and Iraq were unlikely to possess either mobile phone or camera, but Ukraine is a modern country with the advantages of Android and iPhones, video cameras and livestreaming. The US and Kiev can lie all they like, but it’s never going to work if there’s already a video online to show the truth.

Video is the liars’ worst enemy, and they fear it beyond anything else. That’s why they’re kidnapping, torturing, deporting and even murdering journalists. It’s why they’re kidnapping and intimidating citizens who dare to upload amateur footage of their crimes. It’s why the first thing they did in occupied Krasny Liman was confiscate laptops and mobile phones. They’ll stop at nothing to hide the truth.

Sometimes they fail. Sometimes a video makes it through to youtube, which is when the second line of defence springs hurriedly into action. We’re all familiar with the excuses employed for ‘yanking’ a video (especially the ‘disgusting content’ used to pull evidence of atrocities) but if something’s really dangerous we’re likely to win the jackpot with this little number:



'Newsmedia', of course, does not exist, but those of us who’ve been tracking US atrocities since Wikileaks will be very familiar with this Orwellian-sounding organization and have our own ideas who it really represents.

There’s a higher level still, which produces the weirdest and most surreal result of all.



I can’t verify this personally, but have been told by someone ‘in the business’ that this means the video removal was so urgent that youtube’s own procedure was bypassed in favour of deleting the offending item from the server itself. Probably paranoia, but look at the kind of material that receives this treatment, and see what you think for yourself.

Complete story at - The Unwashed Brain: KIEV'S WAR ON VIDEO

The New York Times Criticized for Submitting to Israeli Censors | Informed Comment

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The New York Times Criticized for Submitting to Israeli Censors | Informed Comment

(By Sarah Lazare)

The New York Times made a rare admission that it submits to Israeli state gag orders, fueling charges from critics that the globally-influential publication plays fast-and-loose with journalistic ethics to give favorable coverage to Israel.

The revelation emerged when the The Times delayed its coverage of the Israeli detention of a Palestinian journalist, due—as it turns out—to a gag order from an Israeli court.

The blackout came to light when journalists who did not heed the gag order exposed the detention and media censorship. The Times's public editor, Margaret Sullivan, then elicited an admission from her own publication that it complies with Israeli media blackouts as a matter of policy.

Gagging Coverage of Journalist's Detention

Journalist and activist Majd Kayyal, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, was returning from a conference in Lebanon on Saturday when Israeli Shin Bet secret police detained him for five days, during which he was interrogated and denied access to a lawyer.

Complete story at - The New York Times Criticized for Submitting to Israeli Censors | Informed Comment