Posted on Categories News & Comment

PBC News & Comment: Provoked By Sen. Warren, Facebook Says It’s, Like, a Broadcaster

Warren’s intentionally false ad leads Facebook to declare it’s like a broadcaster or publisher, reversing previous legal posture, inviting regulation…--in Guardian op-ed, Rutgers Law professor and co-author explain the import of this development

--and Buzzfeed reports that even though Facebook will accept ads with blatant lies, it rejects political ads for minor issues

--California governor and utilities regulator hammer PG&E for last week’s power shutoff

--media groupthink continues on Syria coverage, as NY Times editorial promotes same talking points as WashPost report, with plenty of Russophobia

--after reciting the usual shaming points, Moscow-based NY Times reporter notes that Russia inherits a lot of problems in Syria

--in Britain, Boris Johnson is negotiating incomprehensible changes to “Irish backstop” that may produce a bit of a Brexit deal as deadline looms

--Supreme Court denied Trump plan to add citizenship question to census, so it tries to collect it from state DMV’s

--promoting his new book on Harvey Weinstein and other predators, Ronan Farrow is undeterred by attacks from NBC

From the impeachment file

 --Fiona Hill told impeachment investigation that John Bolton went ballistic over Rudy Giuliani’s efforts in Ukraine

--George Kent, State Dept expert on Ukraine, is being interviewed today

--the Biden counterattack hit today, as Hunter told ABC he did nothing wrong

--and Joe unveils new ethics plans, and promises that Hunter won’t work in his White House

--one of the Russians indicted by Mueller for working at St. Petersburg troll farm is briefly arrested in Belarus

--in colorful rant at ConsortiumNews, James Howard Kunstler questions if there really are CIA whistleblowers