By Ben Emos | Monday, April 28, 2025 | 5 min read
I used to think Facebook was a place where you could speak your mind. That was before I realized my posts were quietly being filtered out. At first, it was subtle—a photo of Trump blurred for “violating community standards.” Then a harmless article about government officials, including JD Vance pushing the U.S. bid to buy Greenland, vanished without a trace. By the third time it happened, it was obvious: this wasn’t some glitch. It was a warning shot. And I wasn’t the only one who got the message loud and clear.
Across the social media landscape, something’s shifting. Users—especially those who lean left, those who cherish free speech, and those who just want a place for honest discourse—are starting to leave Facebook in droves. They’re looking for alternatives like Bluesky, a decentralized platform offering a refuge from the arbitrary restrictions imposed by Meta. The tipping point? Meta’s aggressive use of AI moderation, which increasingly targets progressive content—labeling it as “misinformation” or “hate speech,” even when it’s just a news article or a well-argued political opinion.
The Final Straw: Shadowbanning and Selective Enforcement
For months, Facebook denied any bias in its moderation practices. But my own experience—and countless others—tells a different story. Post an article with a Trump photo? Flagged. Share a critique of his policies? Watch your post’s reach vanish into thin air. The rules seem one-sided, and the algorithms that enforce them often feel more like a tool to silence certain voices rather than promote healthy debate.
Meta insists its AI is “neutral,” but the pattern is clear. Just look at how Facebook clamped down on discussions exposing how a completely fabricated economist helped shape Trump’s disastrous tariff policy. This wasn’t about fact-checking; it was about suppressing content that didn’t fit a specific narrative. Meanwhile, right-leaning posts (often full of misinformation) get a free pass.
Why Bluesky? A Home for Free Speech
Enter Bluesky, the platform co-created by Jack Dorsey and designed with decentralization in mind. Bluesky offers a refreshing alternative to Facebook, and here’s why it’s gaining traction:
- No aggressive AI censorship. You won’t see bots blurring Trump photos or removing posts without explanation.
- Control is in the hands of the users. Communities can set their own standards for moderation, rather than having a faceless algorithm dictate what’s allowed.
- No shadowbanning of political content. Engagement feels natural, not manipulated by unseen forces.
For those of us who are tired of walking on eggshells, Bluesky offers something Facebook doesn’t: a place where you can speak freely without constantly wondering if an AI is about to shut you down.
The Bigger Problem: Who Decides What’s ‘Allowed’?
Facebook’s censorship isn’t just about suppressing progressive and liberal viewpoints—it’s about control. It’s about who gets to define what’s “acceptable” in public discourse. When a small group of Silicon Valley elites hold the power to determine what can and can’t be said, we all lose. And if dissenting voices continue to get pushed out of mainstream platforms, where does that leave democracy?
What Brought Meta to Its Knees? The Trump Administration’s “Censorship Cartel” Attack
What really brought Meta to its knees? The Trump administration turned up the heat, calling out what it dubs the “censorship cartel”—a powerful alliance of tech companies, media outlets, and government actors accused of systematically suppressing free speech. It almost feels like a warning shot: If you come after me, I’ll destroy you. And now, with a newly appointed FCC chair in place (bypassing Senate confirmation), the administration is signaling a major legal battle on the horizon. We’re talking antitrust actions, RICO charges, and possibly even criminal prosecutions for those involved in this alleged coordinated censorship effort.
Why “Cartel” Matters
The word cartel isn’t used lightly here. It’s not just another buzzword like “establishment” or “censors.” A cartel implies an illegal collaboration—a group of players working together to stifle competition and break the law. If these accusations hold up, the fallout could be massive:
- Antitrust violations: Suppressing competing voices in favor of a dominant narrative.
- RICO charges: If coercion, fraud, or racketeering were at play.
- Criminal conspiracy: If First Amendment rights were knowingly violated by those involved.
Recent leaks suggest that some social media executives are scrambling to protect themselves, claiming they were “forced by government pressure” to censor certain content. This pressure reportedly came from U.S. agencies—and sometimes foreign governments like China or the EU. But here’s where it gets really interesting: the Trump administration isn’t just criticizing these social media giants for their policies. It’s going after them for how they’ve handled the backlash against Trump and his administration’s brutal policies, which many argue were catastrophic by design—or, in the administration’s view, their complete failure to manage the growing criticism.
Here’s what it really looks like: the Trump administration chose its target—social media giants like Facebook—and it’s never been just about politics. It’s about power. Step out of line, and they’ll crush you with the full force of the law. Instead of standing their ground, these platforms folded fast, tossing money at the president and his family like tribute to a mob boss. It’s less democracy, more mafia—with Silicon Valley paying up to stay alive.
The Turning Point?
I’ve already shifted most of my social media activity to Bluesky, and the difference is striking. No more phantom violations. No more unexplained post removals. Just honest, open conversation.
If you’re sick of Meta playing the thought police, maybe it’s time to make the switch. Because when a platform starts policing opinions instead of actual harm, it stops being a social media space. It becomes propaganda.
Your voice shouldn’t need an algorithm’s approval.
Have you had enough of Facebook’s censorship? Share your story in the comments—if the algorithm lets you.
Copyright 2025 FN, NewsRoom.
