If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong group – or quite the opposite, depending on the point of view. But G20 ministers were meeting in Brazil last week, just as the country keeps putting its own democracy and laws to the serious test in an escalating “war” with Elon Musk’s X. It took no time for G20 to show which side it’s taking in the battle between a government given to online censorship and in clear need of controlling the political and media narratives, versus a major social platform that has broken ranks with its peers as an obedient executioner of censorship, including on behalf of various governments. G20 ministers who converged on Maceio in northern Brazil late last week didn’t quite spell all this out (does anybody speak clearly anymore? The higher, the fewer, as they say). But, the writing is clearly on the wall: a statement issued on Friday is chock-full of words such as, “misinformation,” AI (and coming up with new regulation around this), and digital platforms’ “accountability.” There is even talk of the need for online platforms to place themselves “in line with relevant policies and applicable legal frameworks.” Was this written by Brazil’s government, or by G20, some might wonder, half-amused? However, the story is not amusing – one of the persistent arguments coming out of X is that the seemingly incessant flow of censorship demands is in fact breaking Brazil’s own Constitution and applicable law. Therefore, this particular point in the G20 readout might sound not only like the organization itself falling in line with Brazil – and other autocratic-presenting governments – but also engaging in a fair amount of hypocrisy. Not for nothing, Brazilian officials are happy with this turn of events. The country’s presidency secretary for digital policy Joao Brant has basically suggested in statements for wire services that the moment may be momentous. “It is the first time in the G20 history that the group recognizes the problem of disinformation and calls for transparency and accountability from digital platforms,” AP quoted Brant. There’s more: G20 has adopted “guidelines” to deal with the development of “AI” – also a regular feature in the narratives pushed by governments and entities prone to online censorship. It’s almost like seeking a way to assure that censorship will go on, and grow stronger, in a future AI era. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post G20 Ministers Meet in Brazil To Discuss “Disinformation” Censorship Agenda appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is very busy these days in the media, promoting his ideas of what the future of humanity should look like, and he is given a chance to do that both on streaming networks like Netflix, and legacy broadcasters like ABC. It remains a mystery why this man’s opinions on these big topics matter or should matter, let alone be implemented anywhere, given his background. And that’s the already mentioned Microsoft, a poster child for corporate oppression in the tech market, and in many aspects the controversial Gates Foundation. This mystery was not explained, though, as Oprah Winfrey on ABC let Gates promote regulation that would essentially create a de jure version of what is already de facto happening: the Big Tech-Big Government collusion. Only, going forward, Gates seems to prefer that to be legitimized (instead of being treated as unconstitutional in the US, which it is right now), and a regulated policy to be referred to as “companies working with the government.” And why? Gates, of all people, cynically cites the need to “craft something that’s not just profit driven.” The question Gates was trying to answer while presenting his thoughts on this future dystopian hybrid “partnership” was whether he thought Microsoft and others making money from “AI” products are obligated to “help us manage and navigate through this change,” as Winfrey put it. Gates’ response shows once again that “AI” is and will continue to be used, in public messaging, as one of the ways to justify and normalize the increasing entanglement between the government and powerful private entities. As for “misinformation,” Gates is – but of course – worried, and it seems he has chosen to refer to himself as “naive” when it comes to the earlier days of personal computing and the internet. (He has mentioned this supposed “naive” persona in other interviews.) And it’s important to view Gates as “naive” back then if you’re going to believe the things he is saying now. Winfrey was interested in how what is happening around the “AI” today can be informed by what was “missed” regarding social media and the internet as a whole. Other than branding himself as “naive” (and ABC choosing to illustrate his comments with footage of Alex Jones and his website – to which Jones reacted with quite a few choice words), Gates said this: “We thought the internet, the availability of information would make us all a lot more factual. The fact that people would seek out kind of a niche of misinformation, we were a bit naive, and bringing those lessons up, let’s get ahead of this. Let’s get the politicians to be users and have a dialogue about maximizing the benefits while minimizing the negatives.” If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Bill Gates Wants To Shape AI and “Misinformation” Control and Oprah Is All Ears appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Google on Trial: Ads, Algorithms, and Antitrust – Week 1 Breakdown appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Putin Orders Massive Expansion of Russian Army

Where Is the Hype For Polaris Dawn?

WASHINGTON — The long-awaited World War I Memorial opened Friday in Pershing Park, across the street from the storied Willard Hotel and down the road from Old Ebbitt Grill, a historic restaurant where you can still see the doughboy helmet one young man accidentally left at the bar before shipping off to the European trenches. D.C. has a lot of monuments, and a number of them are beautiful. Many of the newer ones, however, are not. The Martin Luther King Jr. Monument comes to mind. Its harsh, blocky features would be far more at home in Tiananmen Square than overlooking the picturesque Tidal Basin. Then there’s Frank Gehry’s monument to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, which is more like a monument to Gehry himself and which quickly and deservedly became a homeless camp. This is true civic art: A beautiful public work that lifts the viewer’s eyes upward toward the heavens and shows him what heroism and sacrifice and patriotism look like while not hiding the price our soldiers and our country paid. Sculptor Sabin Howard’s contribution, “A Soldier’s Journey,” breaks that losing streak. Simply put: It’s stunning. It begins the moment an American soldier’s young, sweet-faced daughter hands Daddy his helmet for war, and his wife, standing in for a reluctant America, tries to hold him back. The viewer is guided along as he marches to war with his comrades from many different branches and backgrounds, into the trenches, through searing gas attacks, and limping back home again. In the fray, we see bold heroism, excruciating pain, and the cross rising above the battlefield, disguised as shattered beams. Our man returns home, but you can see the war will live on in the haunted eyes of his comrade, whose eyes are turned behind him instead of home, to his family and his country. But it’s the end that will cause a grown man to choke on emotion. Back home, the soldier’s daughter takes the helmet back from her daddy, but she isn’t smiling, and there’s no sweetness in her face. She’s looking down now. She knows what her father has been through, and it’s taken her innocence in much the way the First World War robbed the West of its own self-confidence. This is true civic art: A beautiful public work that lifts the viewer’s eyes upward toward the heavens and shows him what heroism and sacrifice and patriotism look like while not hiding the price our soldiers and our country paid. It also marks a new phase in the fight to regain public beauty from the self-important “expert” class that’s given us so many ugly buildings and statues while telling us we’re just not intellectual enough to understand. Howard knows this, and he’s very open about that war. “I was raised within Western civilization and the Italian Renaissance, and that was the lineage that I was going to play forward,” he told Blaze News, "so I didn't have any confusion about making some sort of brutalist sculptural reference to the modern era [of art], because the modern era [of art], from my perspective, should be wiped off the map, just as the modernists have wiped off the previous history off the map.” Stay tuned for a deep dive on the matter in the coming week, including more of Blaze News’ hour-long interview with Howard, as well as interviews with other artists and architects on the front lines. And next time you’re in D.C., go visit “A Soldier’s Journey.” If you have the time, catch it at midday, when the sun is hitting it just right, or come back in the evening when it’s masterfully illuminated. And don’t forget to make time for a mint julep at the famous Round Robin bar next door. Or maybe even a stop at that doughboy’s haunt, the Old Ebbitt.

An elderly woman from Tennessee is accused of sextorting a teen boy from Minnesota, according to authorities. The Anoka County Sheriff's Office reportedly was notified of a financial sextortion plot involving a 17-year-old boy in Linwood Township on Sept. 30, 2022.The woman allegedly threatened to share the explicit photos with his friends and family if he didn't pay her money.The victim — now 19 years old — allegedly began communicating with an unknown woman online. KMSP-TV reported that the boy sent nude photos of himself to the woman. The woman allegedly threatened to share the explicit photos with his friends and family if he didn't pay her money.Authorities said the geriatric alleged sextortionist demanded he send money to her Venmo account, after which the teen purportedly sent an initial payment of $1,700.The alleged victim ended up sending the woman a total of $2,204.54 by September 2022, according to law enforcement. Authorities identified 70-year-old Stephanie Godby as the alleged sextortion suspect. Law enforcement reportedly linked Godby’s birth date, social security number, phone number, and address to the Venmo account that received payments from the boy. Police have yet to locate Godby. Godby — of Dandridge, Tennessee — was charged in absentia with one count of coercion and one count of theft by swindle.Law enforcement noted that there could be additional sextortion victims. Godby's Venmo account had received similar payments from people around the country, according to subpoenaed records.According to the records, one payment sent to Godby's Venmo account had a message that read: “Leave my husband alone for good, this is all you’re getting from me.” Detectives are still investigating the alleged sextortion scheme and are attempting to collect additional information regarding her bank account and phone records.Law enforcement did not disclose how the alleged victim and Godby initially met.The FBI defines financially motivated sextortion as: "When predators pose as someone else online to coerce victims into taking and sending sexually explicit photos and videos — and then immediately demand payment or threaten to release the photo to the victim’s family and friends."According to FBI data, financially motivated sextortion victims are typically males between the ages of 14 and 17.From October 2021 to March 2023, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations had received over 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors. The sextortion schemes involved at least 12,600 victims — mostly boys — and led to at least 20 suicides.As Blaze News reported in August, a young man from Pennsylvania allegedly believed he had met a girl online and sent her sexually explicit images of himself. However, the recipients of his photos reportedly turned out to be two Nigerian males who were financially sextorting the alleged victim — who committed suicide after not having enough money for the blackmail demand. Blaze News previously reported about a 16-year-old Mississippi boy who committed suicide after being hoodwinked in a sextortion scheme in 2023.In 2022, a 17-year-old Michigan boy committed suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scheme orchestrated by three Nigerian men.South Carolina state lawmaker Rep. Brandon Guffey (R) lost his 17-year-old son, Gavin Guffey, to suicide in 2022 because of a sextortion scheme.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Alex Jones may be associated with tin foil hats, but he’s often also associated with being right while wearing them — which has earned him some serious respect in the eyes of those on a quest for the truth. It all really took off when Jones received tips that there was a gathering of elites rife with ritual sacrifices in a section of California woods called Bohemian Grove. “What did you see? And how did you get in?” Glenn Beck asks the famous “conspiracy theorist.” “It’s a 2,700-acre redwood grove in the most beautiful place in America, Sonoma County,” Jones explains. “They’ve got over 100 camps in it. Some are big and nice, depending on how elite you are.” “Really, it’s a big art thing. At the time, I went with the sensational stuff of the occultic stuff, and the ritual that they do in the middle of July every year,” Jones explains. “That’s what blew up with the Evangelical Christians.” “Definitely, it’s occultic, and there’s vibes of that everywhere,” he adds, explaining that the gathering is a Germanic Druidic spin-off of Skull and Bones. “So, it kind of has that seal on it of the Skull and Bones, Germanic mystery school, hyper Masonic, super secret, inner, inner Masonic stuff.” While there were over a thousand in attendance, Jones recalls seeing Danny Glover and Clint Eastwood. “I didn’t run up because there’s security everywhere, and I only snuck in. I snuck in during the day, went around the security in the woods. They beef it up a lot now,” he explains. While most reporters who’ve attempted to gain access ask questions right away, Jones refrained, which he believes helped his case. Filming wasn’t allowed, so in order to capture the footage, Jones had to climb up a redwood tree and stay out of sight. He was questioned twice by sheriff’s deputies and secret service, but he said he made it look like he “was just hanging out.” After he'd found the perfect spot to film, that's when he caught the ritual. “Oh my gosh, there’s the pond, and there’s the owl, the little lake, and there’s bats flying around us and it’s twilight,” Jones recalls. “There was a whole kind of gay vibe going on too. I had some of the greens keepers go, ‘Hey, baby,’ and whistle at me.” Jones then got the shot of the ritual, noting that the owl was “theater.” “But the occult is what theater comes from,” he says, adding, "I'm not saying they're all devil worshippers or even bad, but there is a cultic thing to it." Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Outspoken liberal Rachel Vindman backtracked on deleting a post on social media mocking former President Donald Trump over the second assassination attempt. Vindman, the wife of Trump impeachment witness Alexander Vindman, diminished the alleged attempt on the former president's life on Sunday at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. “No ears were harmed. Carry on with your Sunday afternoon,” she posted on the X platform. She was immediately assailed for the insensitive message but defiantly responded that she would not take down the tweet. “Sorry you’re triggered. I mean no I’m not. I don’t care a little bit,” she posted later. “Trump has been inciting violence against his enemies for years. He douses a situation in gasoline, lights a match, & walks away claiming no responsibility." But after a torrent of criticism, she decided to delete the message. "I have deleted my tweet. It was flippant & political violence is a serious issue. Whether it’s aimed at a former president, the media, immigrants, or political 'enemies' & every incident should be addressed appropriately if we want to change the tenor of our political discourse," she explained. "I have sat awake many nights wondering who might be outside. I have known the instant fear of receiving an unknown package or letter. I have had my child ask me if we were safe and if someone was going to hurt our family," she continued. "With social media it’s easy to say the wrong thing and then walk away, but if words matter for some they should matter for all," she concluded. "I don’t always get it right the first time. I’m grateful to all who have supported us throughout the past five years."Among those critical of her mocking tweet was Donald Trump Jr., the son of the former president. "These people are f***ing demented," he responded. Rachel Vindman deleted a tweet in 2022 trying to mock Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis because she inadvertently offended transgender people. Moments after the shooting, the Trump campaign confirmed that the former president was unharmed. A suspect in the shooting was captured by police after a witness tipped them off with a description of the alleged shooter and his vehicle. Online sleuths discovered an extensive digital footprint that appeared to belong to the man and described the poster as a left-wing activist. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

In the entertainment industry, very few celebrities openly support conservatives. However, several prominent rappers have shown support for former President Donald Trump heading into the 2024 presidential election. There has been no shortage of rappers who have been outspoken opponents of Trump since he became a Republican politician. In 2017, Snoop Dogg released a music video for the song "Lavender," which featured him shooting a clown dressed as President Trump with a gag gun. The cover for Snoop Dogg's album from the same year — "Make America Crip Again" — features a dead body at a morgue with a toe tag that reads "Trump." Rapper Eminem unleashed a four-minute freestyle rap during the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards slamming Trump. Eminem — whose real name is Marshall Mathers — attacked Trump in his 2017 song titled "The Ringer" and accused the then-president of being afraid to respond to his constant criticisms. Kendrick Lamar called Trump a "chump" in his "The Heart Part 4" rap song released in 2017. However, there is a growing number of hip-hop entertainers who are publicly endorsing Trump. Some of the support is fueled by Trump’s policies on criminal justice reform and economic initiatives. Other rappers are spurred by the need to be counterculture disruptors. In June, Joe Rogan noted that rappers were showing support for Trump after his guilty verdict for falsifying business records. “So many rappers are showing support for Trump now, it’s crazy," said Rogan. "Because now, he’s got a felony. I mean, like, now they realize also he’s getting trapped by the system, just like everybody’s been rapping about being trapped by the system, this bulls**t system. And you watch it happen with him.” This new alignment with a strong Republican politician is a stark contrast to hip-hop's historically strong ties to the Democratic Party. From chart-topping hip-hop music artists to influential voices in the rap genre, these rappers are bucking the status quo. Here is the best list of rappers who have shown support for Trump. Lil Wayne Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images In the final hours of Trump's presidency, he pardoned 74 people and commuted the sentences of 70 others. Among the 144 people, Trump pardoned Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. – better known as rapper Lil Wayne. “I want to thank President Trump for recognizing that I have so much more to give to my family, my art, and my community,” Lil Wayne said on the X social media platform a day after Joe Biden’s inauguration. The Grammy-winning rapper was facing a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a loaded weapon. Lil Wayne praised Trump for his "Platinum Plan," which was aimed at creating economic opportunities for black Americans through a $500 billion investment. In October 2020, Lil Wayne had a meeting with Trump. "Besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the Platinum Plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done," Lil Wayne said. Trump worked with rapper Ice Cube — whose real name is O'Shea Jackson Jr. — on the Platinum Plan. Kodak Black Paras Griffin/Getty Images In 2019, rapper Kodak Black was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to weapons charges regarding falsifying information on federal forms to buy four firearms from a Miami-area gun shop. Besides pardoning Lil Wayne, Trump also commuted Kodak Black's 46-month federal prison sentence. “I Want To Thank The President Donald Trump For His Commitment To Justice Reform And Shortening My Sentence. I Also Want To Thank Everyone For Their Support And Love,” Kodak Black wrote on social media in January 2021. "It Means More Than You Will Ever Know. I Want To Continue Giving Back, Learning And Growing." In April, Kodak Black defended Trump after he was booked on criminal charges. “I feel like these people on some other s**t,” the South Florida rapper said. “So they know like, they gonna try to get Trump out the way ’cause Trump a stand-up n****, he a real n****. He’ll let a b***h do anything. … Trump a real n****, man, a soldier.” Kodak Black – whose real name is Bill K. Kapri – added, "Trump already had big baggage. Luggage. Y'all get off Trump, man." Sexyy Red Ryan Bakerink#877342#51A ED/FilmMagic In December 2018, then-President Trump signed the First Step Act into law. The First Step Act is a significant and sweeping criminal justice reform law. The First Step Act is designed to improve and promote rehabilitation, lower recidivism, and reduce excessive sentences in the federal prison system Rapper Sexyy Red praised Trump for passing the First Step Act and helping to provide stimulus checks to Americans during the pandemic. “I like Trump,” Sexyy Red told comedian Theo Von on his "This Past Weekend" podcast in October 2023. “They support him in the hood. At first, I don't think people was f***ing with him. They thought he was racist, saying little s**t against women. Once he started getting black people out of jail and giving people that free money, aw baby, we love Trump. We need him back in office.” The St. Louis rapper added, “I love Trump. He funny to me. I used to be watching him talking to people. He used to be calling people fat. He just bold. He funny. We need people like him.” Sexyy Red has utilized the phrase "Make America Sexyy Again" as part of her branding — a take on Trump's "Make America Great Again." Sexyy Red had two singles on Billboard's "Hot 100" chart. Anuel AA Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Music artist Anuel AA has been an unapologetic supporter of Donald Trump. Puerto Rican musicians Anuel AA and Justin Quiles attended a Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania in August. Trump introduced the reggaetón stars as "musical legends." Anuel told the crowd, "I’m from Puerto Rico, and since Trump hasn’t been around, it’s not a secret we’ve been going through a lot as a country. Biden always promised [and] promised — a lot of politicians promised through the years. All of us know … the best president the world has seen, this country has ever seen — his name is President Trump." Anuel continued, "All my Puerto Ricans, let’s stay united. Let’s vote for Trump. I personally spoke with him, he wants to help Puerto Rico grow and succeed as a country. He wants to keep helping Latinos in the U.S. Let’s keep doing things the right way, and let’s make America great again." Quiles added, "Mr. President, above all, I like you because, I’ve always said this, you’re not a puppet. I back you because I feel you’re the most honest president we ever had. A lot of Latinos, we stand strong next to President Trump. Thank you for sharing how important building Puerto Rico up again is, and not just Puerto Rico — let’s make America great again!" Tom MacDonald Desiree Stone/Getty Images Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald has garnered popularity with several controversial and politically charged songs that champion conservative values. MacDonald started his career as a professional wrestler before transitioning to music. MacDonald's songs and lyrics frequently delve into themes such as cancel culture, being against wokeness, blasting political correctness, questioning social justice movements, criticizing the mainstream media, skewering attempts to stifle free speech, and advancing conservative viewpoints. Some of his well-known tracks include "Fake Woke," "Snowflakes," "Brainwashed," "Cancelled," "No Lives Matter," "American Flags," "Sheeple," "The System," "New World Order," "In God We Trust," and "Facts" with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. Within 24 hours of the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, MacDonald released the song "You Missed." The song quickly reached #1 on iTunes. MacDonald slams political extremism from the left in the lyrics: "They're burnin' the country down with their progressiveness / It started with changing what gender is / Then graduated to you're racist if you think / That your life matters and your skin don't have melanin / They don't want peace, they want skeletons / They want men to pretend that they're feminine / They don't want an election, they got so offended by freedom / That they just tried killin' the president." Kanye West Ron Sachs/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images Kanye West — now legally known as Ye — has been a fervent supporter of Trump in recent years. West initially expressed support for Trump after the 2016 presidential election. Ye told the crowd at a California concert in November 2016, “I told y’all I didn’t vote, right? But if I would’ve voted, I would’ve voted for Trump.” In 2018, Kanye made his iconic visit to the White House while wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat. “It was something about when I put this hat on that made me feel like Superman. You made a Superman — that’s my favorite superhero — you made a Superman cape,” West told reporters at the Oval Office at the time. “I think it’s the bravery that helps you beat this game called life. They tried to scare me into not wearing this hat — my own friends. This hat, it gives me power in a certain way.” In November 2022, Ye had dinner with the former president at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. The two mavericks reportedly had a falling out during the Mar-a-Lago dinner when Ye asked Trump to be his vice president. “I think the thing that Trump was most perturbed about, me asking him to be my vice president,” Ye said in a video posted to the X social media platform. “I think that was like lower on the list of things that caught him off guard.” Kanye continued, “When Trump started basically screaming at me at the table, telling me I was going to lose — I mean, has that ever worked for anyone in history? I’m like hold on, hold on, hold on, Trump, you’re talking to Ye.” However, Kanye said in February that he is still a Trump supporter. “Yeah, of course, it’s Trump all day,” Ye stated. “What you talking about? You know what it is.” Trump recently said Kanye is "very complicated" but has a "good heart." “He’s very complicated,” Trump said of West during a livestream hosted by streamer Adin Ross. “Let’s say complicated because he is. He’s a really nice guy, but he can get some people into trouble. And he can get some other people. He’s got a good heart — he does, he does, but he’s complicated.” Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!