Dismay as Facebook deletes Shell to Sea page
national |
environment |
press release 
Friday October 03, 2008 10:30
by Shell to Sea
dublinshelltosea at gmail dot com
Shell to Sea activists responded with puzzlement yesterday to the deletion of the campaign's page on the popular social networking site Facebook.
The Facebook page was used to inform supporters of events, to post press releases, and to provide a platform for those who want to show their support for the Shell to Sea campaign.
Attempts by activists to contact Facebook and find out why the page had been deleted were unsuccessful.
Shell to Sea spokesman Terence Conway said:
"Alternative forms of media like Facebook, YouTube, and Indymedia are very important for keeping people informed what is happening regarding Shell's attempt to foist a production pipeline and refinery on the people of County Mayo. Important aspects of the issue, such as the government's giveaway terms for Ireland's natural resources, are often left out of reports in newspapers, radio and television; and in reporting the campaign, the mainstream media are often less than impartial. Using internet sites such as Facebook has allowed people to hear our side of the story."
Ironically, Fianna Fáil Minister Mary Coughlan announced yesterday that Facebook intend to site their European office in Dublin. It was Minister Coughlan who recently signed consents for Shell to work on the "Special Area of Conservation" at Glengad.
Comments (14 of 14)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14F*ck their luck, there are other sites aplenty.
Well its sad to hear but like the previous poster mentioned there are many other sites. Considering the hundreds of people who vist the shell to sea website.. and rossport in general. It may be helpful to have a link to a social networking forum that can be accessed directly from the page. Be it facebook, bebo etc. Perhaps a 'Join our social networking group' link?
It wouldn't just by any very slim unlikely chance be in any way related to the fact that Facebook is relocating its European HQ to Dublin now would it, given the glowing and completely inaccurate blurb released about facebook given in the government's press release?
Facebook is a minor player in the league and is, compared with MySpace, mostly a kid's scenario. If no reasonable comment is forthcoming, Facebook adds itself to a growing list of biased outlets on the web.
I think it would be absurd to think for a moment that there isn't some sort of connection. Look at it this way - Facebook would not have any reasonable reason for deleting the site. They've been told to. Our government has sold everything else we have of value; why not our freedom of speech? Meanwhile, they bail out the banks while schoolchildren share school huts with rats.
shocking to think that kids are sharing classrooms with RODENTS
Shell and Shannon Airport and the rodential classrooms . . . . these are only components of a builder-orientated, Right-wing Irish government. Let's not forget the cancer cock-ups and the anguish brought to Irish women as a result . . . .the terrifying failure of our Financial Regulator to curb bank lending to the construction industry . . . lead flowing into domestic piped water from Louth to Galway City . . . the use of Irish warships to face-down demonstrators who do not wish our country, assets already stripped and flogged off by the greedy, to be ruled by Shell . . . . answers, Willie O'Dea? . . . a health service worthy of the Third World. Meanwhile, Biffo plays golf, RTE plays ball when the Finance Minister attacks 'Liveline' for permitting ordinary people to have their say, and TDs who are also school-teachers 'on sabbatical' need never worry about seeing a rat scurrying across a classroom floor . . . Galway university students take to the streets to protest about possible hikes in university fees, but wouldn't be seen dead demonstrating against the US invasion of Shannon 'cause that's what Lefty bowsies do and besides you might be going out to work in Amerikay with yer Uncle John who is 'undocumented,' rather than illegal. Only Mexicans who enter the US illegally are illegal. Strewth, what a country!!!
so that's prefabs for another decade then....
Many may deplore The Sunday Independent but today, October 5th, they carry a list of the fat cat bankers and their current take-home salaries at the end of a year and so on. VERY sick-making. It took a US senator to say of a similar government bale-out in the US that, when a small shop-keeper goes bust, his business is wrecked, his premises taken, etc. When a bank goes bust or threatens to . . . . Our bloated green bank chief executives should be made to resign: this would happen in any country with a half-decent, un-croneyed government. They will not of themselves do the right thing, it is neither in their nature nor in their cultural history. Meanwhile, is anyone keeping an eye on just who the promised FÁS investigations may eventually target? Repeat after me at least once before going to bed: I am a Paddy and I am dumb and helpless . . . I am a Paddy and I am dumb and helpless . . . .
word is that the Dail Public Accounts committee is going to widen its investigation considerably. Apparently they have been given documentary evidence proving irregularities in the way a number of FAS schemes are run. On one scheme it seems that an employee was told in an e-mail by a manager of a FAS scheme "never to ask me what I want a [blank] cheque signed for". An employee should, under FAS rules, not be a signatory in the first place; that should be left to Board members. And signing blank cheques is also against FAS rules. There was an internal investigation, during which a FAS official told the investigator that this was "not a serious matter". I doubt if the Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee will see it the same way. Everyone who has any knowledge of financial abuses regarding FAS schemes should gather their evidence and send it now to Bernard Allen T.D., Chairman, The Public Accounts Committee, Dail Eireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Meanwhile out in the offline real world, you can't hand out a political leaflet in this town with the fear of the Dublin City Council busting you're ass if a recipient of said leaflet drops it.
If DCC had a commitment to civil society (doubtful in this town that has no public toilets!) and democracy they would make an exception under the Litter Act for noncommercial literature and encourage citiizenship, discourse etc.
"Freedom of the Press is for those who own one!"
George Jackson R.I.P.
Soledad Prison
California
To Free Speech lovers & Shell to Sea fans,
Can anyone find an email address that goes to the lovely folks at the new "censorship central" i.e. Facebook?
I was just about to email them to alert them of the Ireland-wide and soon to be world-wide "Boycott Facebook For Free Speech Campaign" ... but I can't find an email address for the divils.
=> 1. So spread the word: "Boycott Facebook For Free Speech Campaign".
=> 2. And for them with a bit a time on their hands please find us an email address for Facebook marketing people so we can let them know we’re boycotting Facebook until they let the Shell To Sea page back up.
From the Press contacts page:
"You may also contact Facebook PR at press@facebook.com
or call phone." [note: seems to be something missing, like a telephone number!]
I cannot find any other more relevant email address on the site, but that is probably a good starting point.
There is also a "request a public speaker" contact form.
http://www.facebook.com/press/request.php
I wonder if they would accept an invitation to Glengad?
A mail to press@facebook.com has resulted in an automated response stating that they are unable to reply individually. However, it has provided an alternative address, info[at]facebook.com which might be worth a punt.
Shell to Sea Facebk page seems resurrected - we just joined.
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