I want to believe that freedom of speech is important, and that outright censorship of any view contrary to the mainstream view is not the way forward. But if you look at a place like Voat was (which prided itself on being truly free speech), my god what a shit hole of racists and homophobes that site turned into. So there has to be some degree of guidance.
BUT there also still has to be a way for people to critique their government, or else we end up with the thought police of Orwell’s 1984.
Freedom of speech means they can’t arrest you for what you say, it’s about the government, not private platforms, in any case it doesn’t mean you’re free to say whatever you want without consequences, let alone that other people have to listen to you.
A private forum banning you for example, is not limiting freedom of speech, they’re not the government, it’s exercising their right to not listen to you, regardless of how good or bad it can be.
I want to believe that freedom of speech is important, and that outright censorship of any view contrary to the mainstream view is not the way forward. But if you look at a place like Voat was (which prided itself on being truly free speech), my god what a shit hole of racists and homophobes that site turned into. So there has to be some degree of guidance.
BUT there also still has to be a way for people to critique their government, or else we end up with the thought police of Orwell’s 1984.
Freedom of speech means they can’t arrest you for what you say, it’s about the government, not private platforms, in any case it doesn’t mean you’re free to say whatever you want without consequences, let alone that other people have to listen to you.
A private forum banning you for example, is not limiting freedom of speech, they’re not the government, it’s exercising their right to not listen to you, regardless of how good or bad it can be.
This. I find it interesting how many people don’t understand the concept of free speech and to whom it applies :-/