OWS Censored on Twitter’s Trends? Who Cares?

Posted on Nov 10, 2011

America is putting too much weight on Twitter Trends; Sarkozy is caught talking smack about Netanyhu; meanwhile, Google+ lost its chance to outshine Facebook. These discoveries and more below.

On a regular basis, Truthdig brings you the news items and odds and ends that have found their way to Larry Gross, director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication. A specialist in media and culture, art and communication, visual communication and media portrayals of minorities, Gross helped found the field of gay and lesbian studies.

The links below open in a new window. Newer ones are on top.

Our misplaced faith in Twitter Trends
The interesting question is not whether Twitter is censoring its Trends list. The interesting question is, what do we think the Trends list is, what it represents and how it works, that we can presume to hold it accountable when we think it is “wrong”?

Insanity At The House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing
Last week’s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, “2014 and Beyond: U.S. Policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan,” was revealing for two reasons.

Google+ Is Dead
The search behemoth might not realize it yet, but its chance to compete with Facebook has come and gone.

‘Glee’ Gives Good Loving
While Glee is certainly not the appointment television it was in its first season, last night’s episode became something of a must-watch after the ever priggish Parents Television Council issued a knicker-knotted press release condemning the episode for its filthy depictions of sex.

Mainstream Media Keep Missing the Obvious Big Story at OWS
“Occupy Wall Street, go home!” The New York Post has launched what can best be described, metaphorically, as an “all-out-war” on the protesters camping downtown in Zuccotti Park, making a naked effort to aid any ouster by throwing every filthy hippie stereotype in the book at the occupiers and seeing what sticks (so far, not much).

Beating Babies in the Name of Jesus?
There is a brutal movement in America that legitimizes child abuse in the name of God.

Obama, Sarkozy Overheard Dissing Netanyahu
“I cannot stand him. He’s a liar,” Sarkozy told Obama. The US president responded by saying: “You’re fed up with him? I have to deal with him every day.”

A sperm donor discovers his rich, unsettling legacy
Being admitted to California Cryobank as a sperm donor is a bit like getting into Harvard.

More Below the Ad

New and Improved Comments

We are launching a major overhaul of our comments section.

In addition to more robust spam filtering and moderation, new features include the ability to rate other comments, sort how they are displayed and respond directly via e-mail or in a thread.

Unfortunately, commenters will lose their existing Truthdig identities. It's a pain, we know, but on the plus side you will now be able to log in with a plethora of options, including Google, Twitter, Facebook and Disqus accounts.

Before launching this system we spent months in discussion with our top commenters. We listened to the feedback and we hope you like what we've come up with.

Please direct any problems or concerns to us via our contact page.