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Can Facebook Save Free Thought?

Nearly nothing has changed in 10 years when it comes to the consumption of news online, according to new numbers from Hitwise. The big portals and search engines -- delivering what ReadWriteWeb calls "their version of news" -- remain in control. And, according to ReadWriteWeb, "That's bad for independent thinking and human free will."

The best hope for free thinkers and proponents of free will? Facebook, which recently called to users to subscribe to news outlets from within its network. According to Hitwise, Facebook already drives 350 times as much traffic to other websites in the "news and media" category -- 3.5% -- as Google Reader does -- .01%. The top three drivers of traffic to news sites remain Google, Yahoo and MSN.

Read the whole story at Read Write Web »

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