Begin The Book Burning!

[Easy-X]

Alex Jones was just the warm up act to test the social media gas chambers. Seems the purge is in now in full swing on YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, etc.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/29/21307303/youtube-bans-molyneux-duke-richard-spencer-conduct-hate-speech

https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/29/trump-suspended-from-twitch-as-reddit-bans-the-the_donald-and-additional-subreddits/

[Im-a-Ridah]

Banning people generally makes them more popular. Being a Libertarian or Conservative and banned from Twitter borders on being a professional qualification at this point.

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

A woke Facebook friend proclaimed to have berated and blocked acquaintances deemed to have expressed unacceptable views, thus creating a personal echo chamber. Said friend later posted, "Important phrases we should all be willing to say as we learn and grow," with no hint that they might ever be the one to change. Silence is violence they say, unless you're expressing a contrary view, which is also violence.

[Suntan Sid]

[Easy-X]

Privately owned companies they may be but, for the moment, they operate as platforms in a similar fashion to phone and mail companies. Going down the road of picking and choosing content casts them as publishers which is an entirely different thing.

I used to agree "they're only following the money" but with recent exposures of moderators and internal policies at Google and Facebook we're shown they're more interested in following ideology. Again, maybe not a big deal for those two but IIRC correctly the complete opposite of the mindset Reddit was initially based on. (Not that Reddit has any relevance these days.)

What's the so called "free market" got to do with anything? Odd phrase to randomly insert into a conversation. Anyhoo, since when have we ever had that?! It's been Crony Capitalism for the last century "Free Market" today, rigged when it suits.

Yes, there are alternatives... for the tech literate. But for the muggles Google is the Internet. And, highly depressing as it may be, some people just live for Facebook and Instagram.

Not that it matters: once an alternative rises to any semblance of competence they* go for payment processors. If that fails they block them from Google searches. Finally the domain names are blitzed. It's a pattern oft repeated.

TBH I'm not that interested in watching "alt right fantasists" in the same way I'm not interested in watching "far right lunatics" - both are terribly dull - but having a choice might be nice!

We shall see how "get woke, go broke" pans out and whether this blitz will bring back the like of Coca Cola and Unilever. All we need now is the Orange Hooligan to jump to Parler...

*Pick an ideology, Marxists are my favourite generic boogie man at the moment but the world moves fast!
____________________
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[stinkwheel]

Just wait until they start burning actual books...

That said, I also burn books. Specifically the boring, anaemic dross that makes up most content by 19th century female authors (and a particular poet from Hull) which is lauded as literature. Cheaper than firelighters and there's plenty of it about

I don't see that as censorship though. I see it as an extreme form of literary criticism and a backlash against the echo chamber of the literati who force it down the throats of schoolchildren and try to make them feel shite about themselves if they don't agree it is good. You are free to make as many shit sandwiches as you want but don't expect me to eat it and don't be offended if I throw in in the bin.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Polarbear]

[stinkwheel]

[Diggs]

Look at this objectively. What the OP didn't quote was the bit from Youtube's policy that defined the content to be banned:

“videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion based on qualities like age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status.”

That would include white power, black power, all religions, freemasons etc etc etc. On the face of it, it makes sense because anybody saying that they are better than the rest of us and acting upon it is by definition whatever the collective noun for 'wankers' is...

However, the term “Quis custodiet ipsos Custodies?" has never been more apt.
____________________
Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[chickenstrip]

[stinkwheel]

[chickenstrip]

[Lord Percy]

[Lord Percy]

Social media needs to be regulated in the same way that TV, radio and news is. I'm amazed it's managed to get away with being such a cesspit for so long.

That being said, I find it odd how people who typically deride the left with statements such as "if you don't like it, just leave", are now getting all in a huff about this when really they should eat their words and just leave to make their own social media platform where their favourite right wing hate preachers are welcome.

It's probably also worth keeping in mind that the overwhelming majority of popular talking heads these days in the internet world are right wing inclined. I'm sure the same banning response would happen if a worryingly large amount of lefties gained massive popularity and started talking about overthrowing the capitalist classes or something.

[Im-a-Ridah]

[Easy-X]

I've checked in on some of the people mentioned in these bans and it's a close to a digital book burning as it can be...

These "rules" are applied retrospectively in the same way statues of centuries dead people are evaluated based on current social mōrēs. And it's not like any particular offending work is deleted or hidden the entire channel disappears. Basically having one piece of work deemed "dangerous" is enough to invalidate your entire body of work.

The reality of the Internet is that this is somewhat futile. Stuff can be uploaded elsewhere but at it's heart is the principle of ideologically driven revisionism.

Are we happy to see the back of Jimmy Savile? There's a fair chunk of ToTP that has to go in the bin. Oh well, can't be helped. Do you like Gary Glitter's Rock & Roll or My Gang? Probably not as much now. How about a bit of Michael Jackson? Might be safer if we bin all his music, TV and film work. Oh? That's a step too far is it?!

Nothing's too far a leap if we're talking about keeping the kids safe. Take smoking, for example. We all know kids only take up smoking because they saw it on TV. No more actors smoking in films please. And while you're at it could you just go back and digitally revise Casablanca 'cos Rick looks well kewl and won't somebody think of the children!

Regarding literal digital book burning, pouring petrol over a Kindle might be satisfying but Amazon do have form for reaching into your device to delete the books you bought fair and square. And once we go down that road how far before someone thinks it's acceptable to erase all the digital copies of some pitiful TERF diatribe? And for an encore clear out Mein Kampf and The Bible. In the future Montag will be armed with a laptop and a SATA lead to see what's on everyone's hard drives

Thankfully we're not yet at such a dark place. Where we actually at is the construction of a massive chasm. The ideologs like to think they're throwing everyone who doesn't actively toe the party line into the abyss, never to be heard of again but in fact they all just moved to the other side. The problem comes when the two sides are forced to interact in some way like an election or a referendum.
____________________
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[Lord Percy]

[bhinso]

[Jmoan]

They are businesses so should be treated like that instead of pretending they are dictatorships.

We could play a game of how many laws or clauses they have breached.

[Diggs]

If these businesses ban all talk from a 'right of centre' perspective then their platforms become boring and meaningless. The whole point of FB for example is to argue the toss with people you wouldn't argue with if you met them in real life and that includes politics. These platforms are the digital equivalent of sitting in one's car swearing at other road users...

If all the interesting or edgy is taken down, then they become hollow echo chambers, people stop going on and revenue drops.

I bet there isn't a single one of us who hasn't said something on line that is FB/Twitter/YouTube ban-worthy.
____________________
Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[Polarbear]

[Diggs]

[chickenstrip]

[Skudd]

I've had two FB bans for 3 days for each for calling the same thief a thief and a coward. I'm still waiting for him to come round my house to sort me out.
____________________
Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".