#apologies for the l*ng p*st

[beggars-opera]

I think somewhere along the line, we need to have a real conversation about online privacy that isn’t just reactionary Gen Xers and Millennials admonishing Gen Zers for operating normally within a system that has fundamentally changed since we were kids online back in the dark ages.

Tumblr is very much an outlier these days on social media, in that, as someone I’ve forgotten the name of once pointed out, it’s not a “social media site”, it’s a micro-blogging platform with social media features built in. Tumblr evolved from old-style websites such as personal blogs, LiveJournal, and message boards. These types of websites could encourage interaction between users, but it was nearly always based around 1. common interests and 2. pseudonyms. People might share what country they were from, but they generally operated under a username and avatar related to the thing they wanted to talk about, and if they did not, as in a private LiveJournal account, there were specific privacy settings allowing you to do that without broadcasting your personal information to people outside a personally cultivated insider group.

Facebook changed all that.

Facebook was designed from the start to be a place to broadcast your real self to people in your real life. In the early days, you had to prove you were a student in order to use it (I actually got sent to the principal’s office and chastised for using a school email to register for it because I thought I still had to to get approved). The whole idea was that you were using the site to interact with people you already knew, and people you wished to know. It was therefore imperative to represent yourself accurately.

As other social media platforms grew out of that, the sense that you were signing up for them representing the real you continued, and got worse as people began to make money off of them, both traditional public figures and later influencers. For a kid who’s entering the online world now, it is completely normal and expected that if you’re active on social media, it’s because you’re sharing your personal brand, and in order to do that you need to explain who you are, even if you are no longer just broadcasting to your personal social circle. This became increasingly popular with the rise of online activism as well, where you were expected to share your checklist of marginalization in order to be taken seriously.

This, of course, is horrifying. I don’t think the answer, however, is to just yell at people on tumblr to never share their age, or location, or disabilities. To clarify, they shouldn’t, but it’s disingenuous to just say “BECAUSE PRIVACY,” when this is one of the few places out there where such a thing still exists. Everywhere else they go, it is the norm to share your face, your location, enough information to allow someone else to instantly think, this is person I’m compatible with, and to pretend otherwise doesn’t help your argument.

I don’t know what the actual solution is here, let me be clear. But I think we’re too far down the social media rabbit hole to simply whine at kids who don’t know any better for interacting with this website in the same way they interact with every other website that encourages such public behavior. That’s not going to change anyone’s mind.

[precisedblog]

A timeline of the events leading up to the closure of the ABS-CBN network

If you’re a Filipino, you probably grew up watching shows on the ABS-CBN channel. After all, they are the largest media conglomerate in the country. Numerous television and radio stations are under their umbrella—including ABS-CBN, ANC, Cinema One, Myx, and My Only Radio. They are a fixture of Filipino pop culture, and serve as a source of news and information for millions. It’s no surprise that the decision of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue a cease and desist order against the network shocked many Filipinos.

Image source: Patrick Roque, Wikimedia Commons

But even before the network signed off on May 5th at 7:52pm, the media giant was already subject to multiple threats. Their franchise was pending renewal at the House of Representatives since 2014, and three iterations of congress have left these bills untouched.

In November 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte publicly announced his objection against the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise during a ceremony in Boracay. He attributes this to the network’s failure to air his political campaign ads in 2016, as well as the broadcast of Senator Antonio Trillianes’ advertisement. The latter was controversial for criticizing Duterte’s demeanor and remarks. He also called the company “thieves”.

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Known presidential ally and Senator Bong Go reaffirmed Duterte’s stand on the network during a hearing in February 2020. Go stated that while the president is “not vindictive”, the president was hurt by the fact that the political ads did not make it to air. He also showed Trillianes’ clip, which highlighted Duterte’s controversial remarks on rape during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Sen. Bong Go: Hindi po vindictive ang ating Pangulo... Siguro nakahanap lang kayo ng isang pangulong kumakasa talaga. #ABSCBNFranchise | via @michael_delizo pic.twitter.com/zGm6HFZSyn

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS)

February 24, 2020

The same month, Duterte stated that he will leave the decision of the franchise renewal to the House of Representatives, after ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak issued an apology. Solicitor General Jose Calida then filed a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN. Calida cites the network’s pay-per-view services as grounds for the petition, and also mentioned the network’s ties with foreign companies. According to the petition, “criminal liability is also imposed on those who violate foreign equity restrictions and evade nationalization laws of the Philippines through various modes of proxy arrangement”.

On February 24, congress finally began tackling the issue of renewing the franchise. Multiple government agencies and offices stated that the network made no violations. This means that the company had no pending tax requirements and that the network’s pay-per-view services are covered by franchise laws. The Senate hearing concluded that no breaches were made against the law.

Image source: Paolo Romero, The STAR

The NTC then stated that they may issue a provisional authority to the company, allowing them to continue operating while congress tackles franchise renewal. Calida then fired back at the NTC on May 3rd, saying that the agency may be prosecuted for the act. Two days later, a cease and desist order was issued by the NTC, and the network went off the air the same evening.

Upon issue of the cease and desist order, social networking sites were filled with posts voicing out support for the network. Universities and organizations issued statements calling out the shutdown of the network as an act against press freedom. On top of that, people express concerns over the 11, 000 people whose jobs are at stake due to the situation.

LOOK: The De La Salle University lit up the St. La Salle Hall in the colors of red, blue, and green in solidarity with ABS-CBN as it goes off-air tonight, May 5, 2020, following a cease and desist order from the National Telecommunications Commission. (📷: DLSU Facebook page) pic.twitter.com/vUwHM6Cltu

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews)

May 5, 2020

READ: UST JOURNALISM SOCIETY STATEMENT ON THE CEASE AND DESIST ORDER ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO ABS-CBN#DefendPressFreedom#NoToABSCBNShutDown #RedefinedUSTJRN pic.twitter.com/ctx35Ikjpe

— The UST Journalism Society (@ustjrnsoc)

May 5, 2020

At a time like the COVID-19 pandemic, the accessibility of information is crucial. For some parts of the country, ABS-CBN is the sole network whose signals are picked up by local antennas. While the company’s cable networks and online platforms remain standing, being able to broadcast at the local TV channel is important to ensure the wide reach of news and current affairs.

Image source: Patrick Roque, Wikimedia Commons

The closure of the network is a cause of concern for press freedom in the Philippines. As more and more news reports cast a bad light on the government, it remains to be seen if the powers that be will allow media outlets to be “in service of the Filipino people”.

References

Buan, L. (2020, February 18). Calida moves to gag ABS-CBN on quo warranto case. Retrieved from Rappler: https://www.rappler.com/nation/252095-calida-motion-gag-order-supreme-court-abs-cbn-quo-warranto-case

Cabato, R. (2020, May 5). Philippines orders its largest broadcaster off the air as nation fights virus. Retrieved from The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/philippines-orders-its-largest-broadcaster-off-the-air-as-nation-fights-virus/2020/05/05/3d172b60-8eb4-11ea-9322-a29e75effc93_story.html

Cabico, G. K. (2020, February 24). Senators maintain nothing wrong, unconstitutional with ABS-CBN franchise hearing. Retrieved from Philstar: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/02/24/1995699/senators-maintain-nothing-wrong-unconstitutional-abs-cbn-franchise-hearing

Gomez, J. (2020, May 6). Watchdog Calls Closure of Philippines' Biggest Broadcaster an 'Outrageous Attack' on Media Freedom. Retrieved from Time: https://time.com/5832614/philippines-abs-cbn-shutdown-duterte-press-freedom/

Gregorio, X. (2020, May 5). ABS-CBN goes off air following NTC order. Retrieved from CNN Philippines: https://www.cnn.ph/news/2020/5/5/ABS-CBN-off-air-NTC.html

Ignacio, E. N. (2013). The Challenges of On-Line Diaspora Research. In S. J. Gold, & S. J. Nawyn, Handbook of International Migration (p. 549). London: Routledge.

Placido, D. (2018, November 8). Duterte to 'object' to ABS-CBN franchise renewal. Retrieved from ABS-CBN News: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/08/18/duterte-to-object-to-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal

Presidential Communications Operations Office. (2018, November 8). Speech of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the ceremonial distribution of the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to Agrarian Reform beneficiaries. Retrieved from Presidential Communications Operations Office: https://pcoo.gov.ph/presidential-speech/speech-of-president-rodrigo-roa-duterte-during-the-ceremonial-distribution-of-the-certificates-of-land-ownership-award-cloa-to-agrarian-reform-beneficiaries/

Rey, A. (2020, February 24). Bong Go: It's those anti-Duterte ads on ABS-CBN that got the boss’ goat. Retrieved from Rappler: https://www.rappler.com/nation/252558-bong-go-on-anti-duterte-ads-abs-cbn-senate-hearing

Yap, D., Pazzibugan, D. J., Salaverria, L. B., & Gascon, M. (2020, February 2020). Duterte to ABS-CBN: Apology accepted but franchise up to House. Retrieved from Inquirer: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1233949/duterte-to-abs-cbn-apology-accepted-but-franchise-up-to-house

[thesealovesme]

It was painful obvious that Loni wanted nothing more than to speak with him. However, she never approached him despite wanting to. She wasn't sure how to now, given what had happened, but still... The sorrow she felt at being so separated was practically oozing off her creating an aura of what seemed to be depression on her vessel. All she could do was watch him from afar as he did whatever he pleased and hoping that /he/ came back to her soon.

                   @leo-xor

| |The sea I so loved, she rejects me, she rejects me!:;

                  She wasn’t safe                She wasn’t safe       He couldn’t make her feel safe at all.                                   ( He could do nothing he had done nothing he had fucked up again and she was suffering and he couldn’t create anything nothing lasted he couldn’t find the little FUCKHEAD who had hurt her what good was he what good was a predator who couldn’t track down a single thing why WOULDN’T HIS HEAD STOP( WASN’T ALCOHOL SUPPOSED TO NUMB THIS SHIT. )

           He was a wanderer, aimless, preferring to allow a lust for novelty to guide him to enrichment, it was difficult for him to stay in one place for long..    But he was also concerned, in his half-assed, belligerent way… he was violence, he was debauchery, he was vice and mortality in a scarred, ivory shell.      She was strong, could feel her emotions as well as express them, show compassion for others, convey an acceptance that even those who would be considered ‘kind’ would balk at.. .. she could instill wrath upon her enemies as well as show them mercy, and she could fight her battles internally, where-as he usually just ran from them… the only ground he could stand was when his own blood was on the line.

           She and that tanuki brat, they were completely nuts, but they could still grab someone’s hand in the midst of turmoil and insist they would protect them.        Perhaps that was what it actually meant to be truly human… maybe it was because he couldn’t be considered as such, his heavenly blood, cursed by his beloved’s nemesis…             Even that little fucker’s name, ‘King’… a king of what?  What right did he have… .. to live as such scum…          But he hadn’t even kept a standing that could just .. point a damn pistol at someone… and ensure that the whole world would bring about their demise.                       The little ferret was probably in distress, right now.. he hadn’t been utilized as a bed for a little bit… so she was more than likely tired.         She wanted to talk, maybe.                         He didn’t know what to say, she wouldn’t accept his apologies.

                                  “Guess I’ll just keep tryin’, then…                      Till I got somethin’ to show for it.”

A substantial height and weight were hauled to a more prominent standing position - a gesture to the next island over would cause the massive sea beast to lean a bit, a confused warble indicating Yarou didn’t really want to leave again.                          

                                                                       ;;Take me then, it’s where I belong, the sea, sea,                                                                                                   by the wrathful God of the sea.|