The Next Step In Censoring Descenting OpinionssteemCreated with Sketch.

in #news6 years ago

Google for Search
Facebook for social media, and information about what’s going on
Podcasts/stitcher for news and information
YouTube for news media

All of these outlets have been used freely to express views, and distribute information for a decade now. People have grown huge followings publishing videos on YouTube on gaming, playing with dolls, and other things.

People post dog pictures on Instagram or Facebook that go viral. And you have podcasts streaming into offices and cars across the country on non controversial topics like sports, and history.

But there is another side to theses media outlets, that has become controversial. Recently the establishment and those who are against free speech have begun the slow progression toward eliminating unpopular speech.

The first attack came last year, when they decided to press some media companies to ban the hugely unpopular opinion of the “far right” also called the “alt-right” or white nationalists. Of course nearly everyone in America is against these peoples point of view, an easy target. They influenced companies like PayPal to end their ability to accept payments, and got the social media companies to eliminate their accounts. It’s fine we say, they are clearly espousing hate. This is the first step though, and what’s nexts?

The next step came a few days ago, when several social media outlets got together and eliminated InfoWars and Alex Jones from their platform, stating he violated their terms of use by espousing hateful rhetoric. The news continuously calls him a “conspiracy theorist” which is probably true, I rarely listen to him so I’m not the guy to judge, but since when is conspiracy theory illegal, or speech that should be censored?

This is a slippery slope that should be fought against. The internet companies do have a lot of power to censor views, from completely those with unpopular opinions through companies like PayPal, to breaking their soap box they use on platforms like Apple Podcasts or YouTube.

The government being in bed with these companies is even worse. They governments dream is a bottlekncked place to end information distribution, and silence dissenting opinions, and these companies are the perfect accomplice.

Politicians will say we need an internet bill of rights, but this only gives them more power. I don’t pretend to know the answers, but I know the political means is not the answer. DAAE8F3B-8407-47DE-96C3-BF29CAD59DE8.jpeg

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