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comment by johnnyFive
johnnyFive  ·  2277 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Twitter permanently bans Alex Jones and Infowars

Isn't it funny how the idea of the free market goes out the window when it suddenly affects conservatives?





tacocat  ·  2277 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I would think, possibly incorrectly, that people like Jones who are in media know the difference between the First Amendment and the concept of freedom of speech. The difference being government and companies regulating speech. Random assholes on the internet sometimes do not and that's the Infowars audience: idiots. They have this slippery slope argument with an end point being< "We can't start our own Twitter. No one will go there." The free market says, "For good reason." Jones & Co know it. Internet libertarians fail to see the flaw in their own argument or are willfully intellectually dishonest.

Sure you know all that. It's just kinda surreal to type it out because a minority of people are just that stupid.

am_Unition  ·  2276 days ago  ·  link  ·  

"Let me use your company's platform to distribute hateful footage of me verbally harassing people on the reg and HEY WHY DID YOU DELETE MY ACCOUNT?"

johnnyFive  ·  2276 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    Sure you know all that. It's just kinda surreal to type it out because a minority of people are just that stupid.

It really is, isn't it?

tacocat  ·  2276 days ago  ·  link  ·  

What is Twitter? What is Facebook? Sure, microblogging and a social media network. Do those two things constitute a kind of virtual public square? I'd say hell no but the companies themselves can't even decide so they selectively and opaquely enforce the rules and that seems to make the assholes who get banned more riled up and even engender some sympathy.

The internet was a mistake.

johnnyFive  ·  2276 days ago  ·  link  ·  

There are times when I'd agree with you. But I think it's better said that it's simply a tool, and like any tool, it can be used for good or ill. As it's become easier to use and more pervasive, this makes it much easier to take for granted. Now we're getting the wake-up calls, and the slow reduction in Facebook usage is reason for hope.

tacocat  ·  2275 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'm honestly pretty curious whether the problems it's solved outweigh the problems it's created

johnnyFive  ·  2275 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It's a fair enough question, but I don't know as it's really answerable.

tacocat  ·  2275 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I could go either way. That was hyperbole earlier. It might be a good discussion question