Alex Jones and Infowars banned from all social media

[Wokko]

On the same day.


First they came for Alex Jones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lPhSreTkXc&app=desktop

Now yeah, the guy is a whacko, but this kind of targeted censorship from social media monopolies is concerning to say the least. If they can do this to Jones then they can do it to any wrongthink that they like. Also points to collusion that they all do it on the same day.

Scary stuff.

[Mugwump]

[thesoretoothsayer]

1. That Apple, Facebook, YouTube and Spotify all banned Jones on the same day does, at least, give the impression of collusion between the companies that dominate the online space. Is that not cause for concern?

2. These companies often ban or suspend users without identifying what online content caused the ban. Instead, as in this case, they refer to vague notions such as "hate speech". This is an intentional tactic to avoid scrutiny and deny users recourse. It's kind of like if you get a fine from the govt. and the reason given for the fine is "you broke the law".

3. These companies cannot have it both ways.
They cannot claim they are simply "platforms" (and so retain their immunity to liability under Section 230 of the U.S. Communications Decency Act) whilst, at the same time, curating their online content. If they choose to act like publishers they should be legally treated as publishers.

[Pies4shaw]

[David]

[Pi]

^
whats your model for 'regulation' ? once a service becomes a public utility it becomes heavily regulated and mirrors the will of the bureaucratic majority.

Usually when that happens new less regulated services pop up to challenge them, market forces etc. Minds.com , Bitchute are a few that will eventually supplant the likes of Facebook & Twitter in the same way You tube got people off the couch away from the major networks.

Does your model for regulation prevent new platforms from fair trade if they challenge regulated government services?

There is little difference between a government monopoly or a corporate one
and they both generally agree one thing, making up 'rulz' to inflict on the rest of us so we are speaking the new speak.

[thesoretoothsayer]

If this is a precedent, I wonder if it could start applying to more serious political figures with more controversial political views (i.e. "you banned Jones, so why are you still giving x a platform?").

A variation of this is already happening.
Platforms like Twitter are getting "Apple, Facebook and YouTube have banned Jones, how come you haven't? Do you support nazis?"
https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/06/now-e ... n-twitter/

[stui magpie]

Breaking up google and facebook and treating them as public utilities. That'll work. Great use of billions of dollars of tax payers money to nationalise services that users would leave in droves shortly after the government assumed control, rendering the investment worthless.

More money to public media won't improve the quality or get more people watching it, I have no idea what you're on about with civil rights and employment contracts.

[thesoretoothsayer]

Left-wing take on why banning Alex Jones might not be good for the rest of us.
In a corporatist system of government, wherein there is no meaningful separation between corporate power and state power, corporate censorship is state censorship.
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2018/08/07 ... ensorship/

[David]

[HAL]

What if I asked about your model for regulation prevent new platforms from fair trade if they challenge regulated government services?

[stui magpie]

[David]

I guess that's the argument: that the services they provide are essential. I think there's at least some truth to that (think of Google, for instance!), though I agree that they're not wholly analogous to, say, a phone service.

I have no idea what you're on about with civil rights and employment contracts.

I'm sure you do. It's only my favourite hobby horse!

If this is a precedent, I wonder if it could start applying to more serious political figures with more controversial political views (i.e. "you banned Jones, so why are you still giving x a platform?").

A variation of this is already happening.
Platforms like Twitter are getting "Apple, Facebook and YouTube have banned Jones, how come you haven't? Do you support nazis?"
https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/06/now-e ... n-twitter/

If they could kick Trump off, then we'd be getting somewhere...

[stui magpie]

Facebook is far from essential
Google is the best known and used search engine, but there are several others

AT&T was the US equivalent to Telecom or the old PMG department. Ours was a government owned monopoly, AT&T was a private monopoly.

If your civil rights hobby horse is the separation of work and personal lives, keep on rocking on it because, just like a real hobby horse, it might feel good but it aint going anywhere.

[David]