Close Your MySpace Account

I read the newspaper regularly. That is why I was shocked when I recently discovered that MySpace, the social networking site with which I have an account that I seldom check, is owned by arch-nemesis to humanity Rupert Murdoch. MySpace has been owned by Murdoch’s News Corporation since 2005. Where have I been? I intend to make up for my oversight with this blog.

News Corporation owns the who’s-who of right wing media, television, newspapers, and tabloids; The Weekly Standard, Star, The Sun, The New York Post, and of course, Fox News, not to mention endless lesser names in media. The Australian’s empire spans media outlets from Asia, Australia, North America, to Europe. Murdoch takes a personal interest in his business. Directives on political positions come straight from the top (see The Man Who Owns The News by Michael Wolff). Whether it is good for his profit margin to fiercely advocate extreme rightist policies, or whether it is his personal crusade, or both, the end result is a mockery of news.

Television news isn’t the most in-depth source of information, regardless of which corporation owns the channel. However, Fox News takes irresponsibility to a whole new level – creating a machine of television personalities spewing constant chatter filled with outrageous claims and accusations, accepted as truth by many not because they are supported by any sort of evidence or logical accompaniment, but because they are relentless and self-righteous. Cass R. Sunstein, in his book On Rumors, describes the process by which baseless rumors become widely accepted facts. He illuminates the motivations of different types of rumor-propagators, how information legitimizes when it transferred from person to person, and how our human instincts to trust the wisdom of the group trumps our own intelligence. Fox News is a collective propagator of malicious information. How many people believe President Barack Obama is a Muslim? Or that he was born in Kenya? Or that he hates white people? Or that he ‘pals around’ with terrorists?

This is the danger of Murdoch’s bussiness. His News Corporation masquerades as a news corporation, claiming to be ‘Fair and Balanced’ (Fox News’ slogan). Newspeople have been a source of authority in the United States, a source of trust. His appendages have abused this trust by packaging propaganda as information, with a complete disregard for truth and impartiality. The fourth branch of our Republic’s checks and balances has been disabled by the trends News Corporation has created, which other news agencies have replicated in many regards.

So when I learned MySpace was owned by News Corporation, I decided to close my account. Once I found the link to close my account, and confirmed several times after reading their reasons I shouldn’t close my account, it redirected me to check my email to finish the process. Fine, it would be worth it. So after continuing the process through my email is asked my to check again after 48 hours to ensure the account was closed. Complete bullshit. Just like department stores that make you walk through the entire store to exit. I will close my MySpace account.

-Charles P. Pearson