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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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UK Gags Guardian, but Twitter Airs Suppressed Story

Social media site explodes with toxic waste scandal

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(Newser) – The Guardian has been slapped with an unprecedented gag order forbidding it from reporting on a question in the British parliament, as well as who asked the question and why it's being gagged. The paper says constitutional rights are being infringed upon and it's already suing—but meanwhile, the suppressed story is already the talk of Twitter. Three of this morning's top trending topics relate to the energy company Trafigura allegedly dumping toxic waste in Africa, which the Guardian revealed last month.

The Guardian, in what its editor called a "Kafkaesque" situation, was only allowed to report that the case involved a famous law firm specializing in suing the media. That was enough for social media users to dig up the story and link to a censored report hosted on Wikileaks detailing Trafigura's attempted cover-up of the dumping scandal. "Combating this sort of bullying," observes a writer at the Spectator, "is one thing the blogosphere is good at."

The headquarters of Guardian Media Group in Kings Cross, north London.
The headquarters of Guardian Media Group in Kings Cross, north London.   (©markhillary)
The Guardian was gagged from reporting on proceedings in the British parliament for the first time in memory.
The Guardian was gagged from reporting on proceedings in the British parliament for the first time in memory.   (©stuartpilbrow)
The Guardian was gagged from reporting on proceedings in the British parliament for the first time in memory.
The Guardian was gagged from reporting on proceedings in the British parliament for the first time in memory.   (©gwire)
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15 comments
VIEWING:
 
SemperFI
Oct 13, 09 6:13 AM CDT
I guess we arent the only Government who covers up for their friends Reply
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+4
IN RESPONSE:
dpsasso
Oct 13, 09 6:35 AM CDT
I agree. What a bad state of affairs when England and the United States are turning to whatever and the people are sitting at the 50 wondering "What Happen."
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+4
IN RESPONSE:
dontlikeyou
Oct 13, 09 7:07 AM CDT
Britain is a shadow of its former self.... the new Nazi state.
Vote up! Vote down!
-8
IN RESPONSE:
dontlikeyou
Oct 13, 09 7:09 AM CDT
Socialism leads to infringement of individual rights as well as a desire to control thought through media manipulation. Of this, there is no doubt.
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-7
IN RESPONSE:
RockyPneumonia
Oct 13, 09 7:37 AM CDT
I love it when wackos reveal that they don't really know what "Nazi" means.
Vote up! Vote down!
+7

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The report at the heart of today's gag order
Wikileaks.org


Media  •  Crime & Courts  •  World 
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United Kingdom • censorship • toxic waste • Ivory Coast • Twitter • social media • Guardian • Trafigura

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