Big Tech aims for 'Totalitarian' Censorship and attacks Free Speech on Social Media - Bull-Hansen

What is Totalitarian?
Totalitarianism is a political system or a form of government that prohibits opposition parties. It restricts individual opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high degree of control over public and private life. It is regarded as the most extreme and complete form of authoritarianism. In totalitarian states, political power has often been held by autocrats who employ all-encompassing campaigns in which propaganda is broadcast by state-controlled mass media. Totalitarian regimes are often characterized by extensive political repression, a complete lack of democracy, widespread personality cultism, absolute control over the economy, restrictions on speech, mass surveillance, and widespread use of state terrorism. Other aspects of a totalitarian regime include the use of concentration camps, repressive secret police, religious persecution or state atheism, the extensive practice of capital punishment, fraudulent elections (if they take place), and potentially state-sponsored mass murder and genocides.

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What is Social Media?
Social media are interactive computer-mediated technologies. These facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks. As users engage with these electronic services, they create highly interactive platforms through which individuals, communities, and organizations can share, co-create, discuss, participate and modify user-generated content or pre-made content posted online. Some of the most popular social media websites, with over 100 million registered users, include Facebook, YouTube, WeChat, Instagram, QQ, QZone, Weibo, Twitter, Tumblr, Telegram, Reddit, Baidu Tieba, LinkedIn, LINE, Snapchat, Pinterest, Viber, MeWe, and VK.

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Who is Bull-Hansen?
Bjorn Andreas Bull-Hansen (born 1972) is a Norwegian novelist, blogger and YouTuber. Born in Oslo, Bull-Hansen decided to become a writer when an automobile accident on December 22, 1995 left him injured and unable to continue education towards an economics master's degree. He had previously won several prizes in powerlifting, including two gold medals in the Norwegian Powerlifting Championship, a bronze medal in the European Championship, and fifth place in the world, as well as several Norwegian records. The stories in Bull-Hansen's novels tend to be set in hostile environments, and he has written both from Iron Age settings and from a post-apocalyptic world. His characters are often troubled and it is easy to see that Bull-Hansen's experience working with people shines through in his novels. He was a therapist before becoming a full-time writer.

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What is Free Speech?
Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The term "freedom of expression" is sometimes used synonymously but includes any act of seeking, receiving, and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. Freedom of expression is recognized as a human right under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 of the UDHR states that "everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference" and "everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice".

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What is Censorship?
Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information, on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient." Censorship can be conducted by governments, private institutions, and other controlling bodies. Governments and private organizations may engage in censorship. Other groups or institutions may propose and petition for censorship. When an individual such as an author or other creator engages in censorship of their own works or speech, it is referred to as self-censorship. General censorship occurs in a variety of different media, including speech, books, music, films, and other arts, the press, radio, television, and the Internet for a variety of claimed reasons including national security, to control obscenity, child pornography, and hate speech, to protect children or other vulnerable groups, to promote or restrict political or religious views, and to prevent slander and libel.

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What is Big Tech?
Technology is the collection of techniques, skills, methods, and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation. A modern example is the rise of communication technology, which has lessened barriers to human interaction and as a result has helped spawn new subcultures; the rise of cyberculture has at its basis the development of the Internet, computer, smartphone, and Artificial Intelligence.

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