I wouldn’t change any one law but I would want international law to be applied to every country.
Some countries, most notably the United States and Israel have shown contempt for international law for decades. Israel is currently committing a genocide in Gaza and has bombed other countries in the last year, backed to the hilt by the United States. The US for its part, have abducted the President of a foreign country (Maduro is not a good guy but that is not the point) and have bombed countries at the behest of Israel
International law should apply to all without exception.
In recent years, META has become one of the most influential corporations shaping modern social life. Through platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, the company has embedded itself into how people communicate, socialise, and access information. While these platforms are often presented as optional tools, in reality META has created systems of dependency that make disengagement increasingly difficult, raising serious concerns about autonomy, free speech, and democratic accountability.
META’s power lies not only in its technology, but in its exploitation of social dynamics. Its platforms rely heavily on network effects: people stay because everyone else is there. Social events, community groups, professional contacts, and even family communication are often organised through META’s services. As a result, disconnecting can lead to social isolation, missed opportunities, and loss of visibility. This generates a persistent fear of missing out (FOMO), which discourages users from leaving even when they are dissatisfied with the platform. Participation therefore becomes less a matter of free choice and more a form of social pressure.
This dependence grants META immense control over public discourse. Unlike traditional media, META does not create content but controls its visibility through algorithms and content moderation. These systems determine which posts are amplified, restricted, or removed, yet they operate with limited transparency. While META claims to enforce neutral “community standards,” the real-world effects of these policies are often uneven and politically charged.
One of the most controversial aspects of META’s moderation practices is its treatment of pro-Palestinian content. Numerous journalists, human rights organisations, and civil society groups have documented cases in which posts supporting Palestinian rights, reporting on civilian suffering, or criticising Israeli state actions have been removed or suppressed. Such content is frequently flagged under broad categories related to terrorism or security, even when it is clearly political or humanitarian in nature. Meanwhile, comparable restrictions are less consistently applied to pro-Israeli narratives. Although META denies political bias, the repeated silencing of certain voices suggests that its moderation policies tend to align with dominant Western geopolitical interests.
This suppression of speech is particularly troubling because META’s platforms function as de facto public spaces. For many users, especially in the Global South, Facebook and WhatsApp are not merely social networks but primary sources of news, political debate, and civic engagement. When a private corporation restricts access to these spaces, it effectively shapes political participation without democratic oversight. Decisions that affect millions are made by a company accountable primarily to shareholders rather than the public.
Europe’s response to META’s growing power has been limited. While European institutions have introduced regulations aimed at protecting data and competition, they have failed to offer meaningful alternatives to META’s platforms. The absence of strong European social media companies has left citizens dependent on an American corporation to mediate social and political life. Regulation alone, without investment in public or cooperative digital spaces, has done little to reduce this dependence.
In conclusion, META’s influence extends far beyond social networking. By fostering dependency through fear of disconnection and exercising control over speech, the company has assumed a role once reserved for public institutions. Its suppression of pro-Palestinian voices highlights the dangers of allowing private corporations to govern public discourse. Addressing META’s power will require not only regulation, but a rethinking of who should control the digital spaces in which modern democracy increasingly takes place.
Non Meta ways to connect
La meta in Spanish means the goal. I’m trying to reduce my use of Meta products and want to use some other applications
As you know, today is the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It’s the first time in 24 years that Ireland will be in the draw and the first time in 40 years that Northern Ireland will be in it — but neither have qualified yet.
Too Many Teams
Forty-eight teams and 72 group-stage games just to eliminate 16. It’s going to be a dog’s dinner of a World Cup. With sky-high ticket prices and two sets of fans already banned, it’s shaping up to be a recipe for disaster. What neutral wants to pay upwards of $200 for a ticket to Iran v Haiti on a Wednesday afternoon?
Excess Travel
The distances teams will have to travel between games will make the tournament complex to run and will tire the players involved. The fact that six teams won’t know until March whether they’ve qualified complicates the issue further.
Trump
There is no doubt that Trump wants to make this World Cup his own. That FIFA have been pandering to him is disgraceful; awarding him a peace prize to stroke his ego is absurd. A man accused of supporting atrocities abroad and threatening to invade a sovereign nation in the Caribbean being given a peace prize is beyond ridiculous. Trump’s authoritarian behaviour at home, his aggressive foreign policy, and his desire to make this “his” World Cup will draw parallels with the Summer Olympic Games of 1936. Then too, a racist authoritarian ruler with expansionist ambitions turned a sporting event into a platform for himself.
This is a tournament that, a few months ago, I had little interest in. But Ireland’s performances and results in the last two games have given me hope and optimism for what might be. I don’t think this is going to be a good World Cup, but I’ll watch the draw and look forward to the games to come.
(eugeneward78) A blog 