Facebook: We Won't Block Wikileaks, For Now

[Hissyspit]

Source: CNET

December 6, 2010 8:59 PM PST
Facebook: We won't block Wikileaks, for now
by Caroline McCarthy

The biggest social-networking site in the world broke with many of its online brethren today when it issued a statement saying that it will not ban content from a "fan page" associated with WikiLeaks, the controversial repository of leaked confidential documents whose founder, Julian Assange, is currently on the run.

"The WikiLeaks Facebook Page does not violate our content standards nor have we encountered any material posted on the page that violates our policies," said the statement, which was prepared when ReadWriteWeb's Marshall Kirkpatrick started poking around to see which online services may follow the lead of Amazon Web Services and PayPal in blocking WikiLeaks.

It's a well-crafted statement, however, one that leaves open the possibility Facebook could change course. All it's saying right now is that Facebook does not currently believe WikiLeaks has posted content to its page that violates the social network's terms of service.

- snip -

The Wikileaks page on Facebook has nearly 1 million followers.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20024810-36.html

[Bodhi BloodWave]

1. which should make perfectly sense to almost everybody

Stay within the guidelines of this or that site, and you won't lose access.

Break/ignore the guidelines of said sites and you risk losing access/have the account closed.

[Tunkamerica]

2. yeah paypal totally has a rule against whistleblowers

i read it when i signed up.

On my credit card statement it said "no embarrassing the elite! or else."

[cbdo2007]

11. Of course you're correct, but that will be completely glossed over here at DU.

I'm not even sure why Facebook made a statement about this, except to give themselves some publicity. Of course, they're not a bank or a webserver so they don't actually have anything to do with wikileaks besides having a wikileaks page...so why would they ban them?? That's like asking Facebook if they're going to ban McDonald's from their website. Why would they ban something they have nothing to do with? haha

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. What's a 'Bon't"?

Just kidding ...

I wonder how long this promise from facebook will last?


It has been blocked intermittently in several countries including Pakistan, Syria,] the People's Republic of China, Vietnam,< Iran,[Uzbekistan[, and Bangladesh[>. It has also been banned at many workplaces to prevent the wasting of employees' time.<[br />

Kick and nominated

[sabrina 1]

4. They;ll be hearing from the U.S government soon.

One million followers, that's a big following considering how new Wikileaks is, just four years old.

[Tunkamerica]

5. I bet beiber has 10 million

i got rid of my fb account when my mom joined

[molly77]

6. tunkamerica

Funny. I'll get rid of mine when FB starts censoring. Our govt is desperate and failing.

[molly77]

7. The Guardian is providing excellent coverage.

http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/12/02/when-it-comes-to-assange-r-pe-case-the-swedes-are-making-it-up-as-they-go-along/

Interesting article about the women who brought the rape charges.

[ananda]

8. Looks to me like it's all trumped up by the CIA.

The question is: why is Sweden going along with it?

[davidwparker]

9. Good for FB

[inwiththenew]

10. Which is code for:

The government hasn't leaned on us yet, but once they do we will fold like a cheap suit.

[downeyr]

12. Well, as long as facebook keeps their word

I'm proud to be a member of facebook.

[kgnu_fan]

13. But we will be monitoring everything you say there!

[qb]

14. There's more than good will behind Facebook's position...

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/12/facebook-love-aiding-wikileaks/1

With other networking companies pissing off the masses, Facebook sees an opportunity to expand its market share.