@ Bitesize Bitcoin

Censorship today has evolved into something far more insidious than its traditional form. No longer limited to overt bans or government blacklists, it now thrives in subtler, more pervasive ways—hidden behind corporate policies, social algorithms, and political pressures. This new form of censorship cloaks itself in the language of promoting online safety, stopping misinformation, and defending democracy, but its effect is no less stifling. Community guidelines of big tech platforms have become the weapon of choice to shape the boundaries of online discourse. In fact, online censorship is now a growing industry that receives funding and support from both [government departments](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/3148525/embattled-state-department-office-funding-censorship-groups/) and the [private sector](https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2022/google-and-youtube-partner-with-poynters-international-fact-checking-network-on-13-2-million-grant-for-the-global-fact-checking-community/). The National Science Foundation, for example, [awarded](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/feb/6/national-science-foundation-spent-millions-ai-cens/) over $40 million worth of grants for the development of AI tools "to counter misinformation online" and "advance state-of-the-art misinformation research"—a long-winded way of saying AI-powered censorship tools. As with most evils in this world, centralization is the plank on which censorship rests. The centralized nature of big tech platforms not only gives them access to treasure troves of our personal data, but programs like [PRISM](https://www.aclu.org/news/national-security/nsa-continues-violate-americans-internet-privacy), also give the government backdoor access to it. Just as with central banks, platforms like YouTube and Netflix become choke points that can be squeezed at will to enforce certain narratives. Thankfully, since[ the invention](https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf) of Bitcoin, we have not only had hard money that cannot be debased by any central bank but, more importantly, the world was bequeathed with a blueprint for building decentralized products and services at scale. For example, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to say that the inspiration behind [Nostr](https://blog.lopp.net/why-nostr-matters/)'s design was Bitcoin, even with the apparent differences in the architectures of the two. A decentralized, censorship-resistant communications protocol was inevitable after the emergence of censorship-resistant money. Bitcoin and Nostr are the foundation of a decentralized creator economy that is not captured by big tech and their advertisers. Despite all these great strides towards pragmatically securing free speech online, the censorship industrial complex still has a chokehold on the film industry. While social media platforms actively suppress information they don't like, the film industry disguises propaganda as entertainment to achieve the same goal. Historically speaking, the arts, especially the film industry, have been a very important and effective tool in shaping public perception and controlling the flow of information. During World War II, the Nazis produced [numerous films](https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/propaganda-movies) that were part of a broader strategy by Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda, to manipulate public opinion in favor of the Nazi regime. They were designed to instill loyalty, promote anti-Semitism, and glorify the ideals of the Third Reich. Unfortunately, these tactics were not confined to that period in history and are still in use today. Since 1948, the Pentagon's [Entertainment Liaison Office](https://www.defense.gov/Contact/Help-Center/Article/Article/2762716/dod-production-assistance-for-movies-and-television-productions/) has played a significant role in shaping Hollywood productions, with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) [subsequently establishing](https://www.amazon.com/CIA-Hollywood-Agency-Shapes-Television/dp/0292754361) a similar [office ](https://www.cia.gov/about/organization/public-affairs/#entertainment-inquiries)in 1996. Initially perceived as passive advisors, these agencies have [exerted influence](https://archive.is/zhMbT) by requesting script changes in exchange for access to resources like equipment and filming locations. The Department of Defense (DoD) has[ backed over](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1548084980?tag=theindep0f-20&geniuslink=true) 800 feature films, including major franchises like *Transformers,* *Top Gun, The Terminator*, and *Iron Man*. On the small screen, over 1,100 TV titles like *Army Wives, NCIS, Homeland,* and *Flight 93* have received Pentagon support since 2001. <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/92ed93db36028be5054e7eeac98d432bbcb843d56caa07a3621c58c61e436477.jpg"> Journalist David Robb, in his book *Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the Movies,* [wrote:](https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Hollywood-Pentagon-Shapes-Censors/dp/1591021820) > *"The Pentagon even uses movies and TV shows to target children as future recruits, as it did with two of the most popular kids' TV shows of all time, Lassie and The Mickey Mouse Club. Episodes of both shows were rewritten at the Pentagon's insistence to make the armed forces more attractive to children."* It is undeniably evident that for a very long time, the national security state [has shaped ](https://jeffreynall.substack.com/p/ii-going-to-the-movieswith-the-pentagon)thousands of hours of our viewing experience. The portrayal of war in these productions often paints a sanitized picture that masks the complexities of combat, the ambiguities of victory, and the political machinations behind military actions. Are we seeing the truth of war, or a carefully crafted narrative that serves a larger agenda? Are the horrors of war being normalized as necessary evils to rally public support for future conflicts? One can only wonder. Time would fail me if we had to discuss how this same relationship extends to the news media, as exemplified by [the dismissal](https://youtu.be/ozxzNjRqCiE) of Phil Donahue from MSNBC for having guests on his show who were critical of the Iraq War. Or how Disney spent almost[ $1 billion](https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinereid/2023/08/04/the-four-flops-of-2023-that-cost-disney-1-billion/) in 2023 on movies that were flops, as a result of their lack of substance due to their woke themes. Let's not even begin to talk about the nearly [$2 billion](https://www.moneydigest.com/1585957/how-much-pharma-tv-ads-spend/) the pharmaceutical industry spent on television ads in the first quarter of 2023 alone. Perhaps that's the going rate for a shot at shaping consumer demand and influencing news coverage of the industry. The larger point is that from both the big screen and the small screen, we are constantly bombarded with propaganda and carefully curated content that not only influences our buying decisions but our worldviews as well. This pervasive influence operates on a deeper level than we might realize, as we tend to perceive the world through cultural lenses pre-defined for us. Those who shape these fundamental worldviews wield immense power, subtly guiding our thoughts and actions. The genius of this influence lies in its invisibility - we often misinterpret these externally crafted ideas for our own independent thoughts. As noted earlier, the film industry's centralized structure has led to a troubling prioritization of political narratives over audience needs and factual accuracy. To disrupt this status quo, a new breed of independent filmmakers and streaming platforms is required. These should embrace political neutrality and leverage emerging technologies like Bitcoin. The latter would be critical in revolutionizing content monetization, thus freeing creators from the grip of studio executives and other political influences that are used to censoring content they dislike. One such platform is [IndeeHub.](https://indeehub.studio/) <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/dcff3b241cbe371a32dfa88eb31184128365c6a92443482271a2d44439151214.jpg"> IndeeHub is a streaming platform that aims to empower independent filmmakers by providing a fair and sustainable ecosystem for content creation and distribution. Not only could this potentially break Hollywood's monopoly, but it is an essential step in the creation of unbiased quality films. Despite launching early last year and still being in beta, the platform was able to score a major win when it was selected as the main streaming partner for the second edition of the [Bitcoin Film Fest](https://x.com/bitcoinfilmfest), which was held in Warsaw in April of this year. IndeeHub's business model redefines film industry economics. By integrating Lightning network payments, it creates a true free market for content creators. Filmmakers earn per second of viewership, with revenue split among anyone on their cap table. Bad content immediately gets punished by lack of views and therefore lower revenue for the filmmaker, with great content being rewarded with more eyeballs and ultimately higher revenue. Just like Nostr, this serves as the perfect yardstick for measuring the reception by audiences of a particular production. This paradigm shift aligns incentives with audience engagement, potentially transforming both artistic creation and consumption. In an interview the Ceo and founder of IndeeHub, [Zack Mahoney](https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackmahoney/?trk=public_post_main-feed-card_reshare-text), when quizzed on where he envisions IndeeHub said; > *“Our goal is to be the best solution for filmmakers from concept to exhibition. I would love to see films not only exhibiting on this platform but beginning their lifecycle here as well. I envision a platform where filmmakers can collaborate, take risks, hone their craft, exhibit their work, and ultimately thrive in this industry.”* <img src="https://blossom.primal.net/bf6842cfcdefc086b8168bc777a70909e634b9235ee7c3711dcd956f7c68b79d.jpg"> While many of the problems of the film industry aren't going to be solved overnight by one platform, IndeeHub is clearly on the right path to become the one-stop shop for financing films as well as collaboration and distribution. It's a truly innovative platform outside the control of the censors and the gatekeepers, beholden only to its mission. Zack went on to emphasize a very important point when he said: > "Storytelling is a cornerstone of the human experience and a fundamental process by which consciousness evolves,"*"Storytelling is a cornerstone of the human experience and a fundamental process by which consciousness evolves,"* a sentiment I concur with wholeheartedly. If those controlling the most influential storytelling medium are shaping society toward a dystopian reality, then what value does freedom money hold in a world where minds remain captive?  Just as Bitcoin is a solution that removed trusted third parties from transactions and created a digital peer-to-peer cash system, IndeeHub also aims to be a solution that creates an alternative to the centralized streaming platforms that are under the thumb of advertisers and government agencies. By integrating the hardest money ever known to man, Bitcoin, it's saving the film industry from collapsing under its own weight while unleashing creativity on an unimaginable scale. It's time to build the world we want to see. *Uncensoring Art was Written By Kudzai Kutukwa. If you enjoyed this article then support his writing, directly, by donating to his lightning wallet: **muggyarch11@walletofsatoshi.com***