Read on Twitter
Trump banned from Twitter.
Gonna make everyone clutch pearls, but I think this is a disaster, and shouldn't have happened.
*NOTE*: If you chime in with a point I've already addressed I'm not going to repeat it.
Here goes...
Gonna make everyone clutch pearls, but I think this is a disaster, and shouldn't have happened.
*NOTE*: If you chime in with a point I've already addressed I'm not going to repeat it.
Here goes...
People are celebrating that a wannabe despot has had his platform to incite violence removed. I get that, I totally and enthusiastically agree that nobody should be free to incite violence.
The way to stop that is through due process - a court, a prosecution, a judge, a cell...
The way to stop that is through due process - a court, a prosecution, a judge, a cell...
What actually happened was a bunch of very wealthy, powerful, and corrupt individuals gathered together in a private boardroom, and decided what would be best for *them* and their bottom line, not the public good, then acted.
That's fact 1.
That's fact 1.
What also happened is that they managed to deplatform an absolutely dreadful man, who was nevertheless still the sitting President of the United States.
If they can do that to him, they can do it to anyone.
That's fact 2.
If they can do that to him, they can do it to anyone.
That's fact 2.
"How can you defend what Trump has done?!"
&
"We can't just let Trump incite violence!"
&
"But freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences!"
I refer you to my use of the words "courtroom", "prosecution", "judge", and "cell".
&
"We can't just let Trump incite violence!"
&
"But freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences!"
I refer you to my use of the words "courtroom", "prosecution", "judge", and "cell".
"These are private companies! They can decide what they want to publish!"
The Sun, the Mail, Fox News, The Express, Breitbart, Telegraph etc are private companies who do just that. Are you happy that they can deplatform views they don't like amplify views they do?
The Sun, the Mail, Fox News, The Express, Breitbart, Telegraph etc are private companies who do just that. Are you happy that they can deplatform views they don't like amplify views they do?
The damage that can be done when private companies hold monopolistic power on important parts of our society and civilization can't be underestimated.
How we interact with each other, human connection, definitely falls into that category.
How we interact with each other, human connection, definitely falls into that category.
Facebook, Twitter, and Google are now the planet's biggest communication platforms, bigger and more powerful than any private companies in human history.
These three men now have near limitless and unaccountable power.
These three men now have near limitless and unaccountable power.
We can't vote them out. We can't just set up a new Facebook. And now, seemingly, we can't talk to our political representatives to hold them accountable either.
In fact, they can apply a measure of accountability themselves - no matter how powerful the target.
In fact, they can apply a measure of accountability themselves - no matter how powerful the target.
This is going to come back to haunt us.
When politicians who advocate for massive tax hikes of Facebook profits are quietly shunted to the side, we asked for this. When climate science denying oil companies pay for ads that get boosted, we asked for this.
When politicians who advocate for massive tax hikes of Facebook profits are quietly shunted to the side, we asked for this. When climate science denying oil companies pay for ads that get boosted, we asked for this.
If private companies are too big to fail they're too big to exist.
If they practically own our main global methods of communication, then they're certainly too big to be simply left to their own devices.
If they practically own our main global methods of communication, then they're certainly too big to be simply left to their own devices.
ADDENDUM:
A few have said that if you don't like the TOS, you don't have to deal with it.
Those TOS can be amended at any time, for any reason. If they amend them to, for example, remove all climate change science but make sure all climate change "hoax" crap trended, that ok?..
A few have said that if you don't like the TOS, you don't have to deal with it.
Those TOS can be amended at any time, for any reason. If they amend them to, for example, remove all climate change science but make sure all climate change "hoax" crap trended, that ok?..
Furthermore, people have asked "How can you possibly defend a fascist!"
Piss off - I'm not.
Trump should have been removed a long time ago, but via a court, not a boardroom.
And yes, his account was subject to legal requirements - remember he wasn't allowed to block anyone?..
Piss off - I'm not.
Trump should have been removed a long time ago, but via a court, not a boardroom.
And yes, his account was subject to legal requirements - remember he wasn't allowed to block anyone?..
Social media is now so big and powerful that denial of access to it does result in a serious loss of freedom.
Increasingly you need it to access work, government services, and information. This will only get more and more vital as time goes on.
Increasingly you need it to access work, government services, and information. This will only get more and more vital as time goes on.
If you want them to be able to simply remove people *when they want to* (the TOS was violated by Trump long ago), then ok - but giving them so much power is going to come back and bite you on the ass hard one day.
