Facebook and the Next German Worry

German public TV (ARD) got spun up today over a Facebook comment. 

For those who haven't grasped it....there's an enormous push going on in the US to bring Facebook to one of two realities: (1) in a status of a public utility, or (2) to break it up entirely (as was done to AT and T decades ago).  To prevent either, the new idea is to allow conservative news to flow through and not be limited.  The particular group they are talking about?  Breitbart.

Yes, the evil Breitbart.

Shortly after the 2016 US election, this was one of the dozen-odd things that German journalists jumped upon....that brain-washing or propaganda work....had been done by Breitbart using Facebook data-flow. 

For several months public TV journalists talked about Breitbart and 'warned' the German news consumers not to fall for their brand of propaganda. 

So now?  Zuckerburg of Facebook indicates some relationship will be allowed....without saying that he's hoping to avoid the breakup or utility status.

Worrisome to German journalists?  Absolutely. 

But here's this odd thing, if you spend any time at all reviewing Breitbart stories.  Almost all of them....lead back to an originating source (a network, a newspaper, a news magazine, a foundation, etc). 

When you go and review the 40-odd lines, they will reference who developed the story (maybe even two or more sources), and then lay out more background to what was said. 

The effort of Breitbart currently in Europe?  Their London/Europe page will be about 50-percent BREXIT, crime stories from Europe will take up 10-percent which are fully linked to national newspapers in most cases, and the rest will be this oddball group (terrorism, Turkey, migration failures, etc).  In a full week, there might only be five Breitbart stories over Germany. 

So you go and read the five German stories and examine content, facts, and character.  There is a slant to the story....no one argues about that.  But the facts tend to support that slant.  If you had problems with Breitbart....you'd have problems with the newspaper or news network telling the story in the first place.

This whole German worry....mostly about nothing?  No.  Presently, German public TV (ZDF and ARD) carry the bulk of news that people believe.  As long as they can continue that trend....with people trusting them....there's no issue.  But here's the 500-pound guerrilla in the room...young Germans (under the age of 30) are watching less and less public TV news.  They like their content via social media.  So, as time goes by.....less belief is being generated for ARD and ZDF.  Long-term....it's a problem.  And here Facebook is...only trying to survive without being carved up....accepting their dilemma.