Facebook Blocks Sharing of the Indypendent’s Coverage of Hunts Point Produce Market Strike

In a troubling sign of where Facebook’s crackdown on political extremism may be headed, the social media giant recently blocked acclaimed Marxist economist Richard Wolff from sharing an article by the Indypendent about the striking workers at the Hunts Point Produce Market.

For years, Facebook happily served as a breeding ground for violent far-right extremist groups and conspiracy theories including Q-Anon. It’s algorithms steered “Q-curious” viewers in that direction because it was great for business. More reader engagement, more clicks, more eyeballs delivered to advertisers. More profits—$32.7 billion in 2020 pre-tax earnings, a 36% increase over 2019.

[indypendent.org]

The story that Facebook censored is titled “What I want for me, I want for you’: Hunts Point Produce Market Workers Talk About Why They Went on Strike.”

‘What I want for me, I want for you’: Hunts Point Produce Market Workers Talk About Why They Went on Strike

The 1,400 workers enjoy a better life because of their union. After working without hazard pay through the first 10 months of the pandemic, they were determined to wield their collective power to win respect and a real pay raise from their bosses.

[indypendent.org]