Once, being banned in Boston was a badge of honor to be worn proudly. Tropic of Capricorn and Ulysses were all banned in Boston with great success. Challenged in court, they went on to become classics of their day and remain so today.

But banned today is not such a badge of honor. Banning became a tool of mega-corporations to squeeze and twist their profits. Or it is a political act. With only an inkling of disagreement, politicians try to force the banning of books, websites and any other “disagreeable” content. (i.e. DeSantis trying to ban Disney in Florida. Oh right. That’s going to work! Disney?) Banning today is now an act completely disconnected from the actual content of the “banned“ property.

Take for example, the banning of Fernie.com and the Fernie Forum on Facebook.

Yes, fernie.com and its Facebook page, Fernie Forum, are currently banned on Facebook.

Wow!!

Mark Zuckerberg has stated that as a result of Canada’s Online News Act, fernie.com news content is no longer available to persons in Canada on Facebook or Instagram.

Rachel Curran top dog at Meta Canada

Banned in Boston. Banned in Fernie. Banned in Canada!!!

This means all the Sparwood fire alerts, the “news” of community events, yard sales, music playing in bars, and even library events are all banned. Oh, what nasty people we are! The whole Elk Valley has been banned. That will save us from . . . No, wrong, it is a danger to everyone in the Valley.

We have a right to know what is going on, but no. Not according to Facebook. Facebook has defined fernie.com as a Restricted News Outlet

Disappeared like a foe of Pinochet. Gone. Dropped out of the helicopter. Poof.

I look through my writing over the past couple years and wonder what I’ve done? (Bad Boy!!) What has Mary done? (Bad Girl!!) And Wildsight? (Are they that evil??)

Tossed. Disappeared. Gone.

WTF?

Keith Liggett has a writing career with one foot in the literary and the other seeking a different angle within traditional journalism. Read more from Keith here.