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Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

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Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#11

Post by gfosco »

hyperpape wrote: post #9
gfosco wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Twitter has been extremely heavy on censorship this year. Dozens of high-profile users banned, hundreds 'shadow-banned', and unbelievable levels of hashtag manipulation. Twitter is not in favor of free speech, on top of being a terrible business.

Which users were banned for expression of opinions? I initially wrote "high profile", following your comment, but I don't actually care. High profile or not, that would make me worry. I know Milo was banned based on the accusations that he'd orchestrated harassment of Leslie Jones, but I haven't heard of anyone being banned simply for expressing a political position. As far as hashtag manipulation goes, I'm not sure…

Recently? I'll give you one: Clint Eastwood.

Yes, they control hashtags. It is a censorship issue. They lie about what's trending, every, single, day.

There's a global problem with Twitter censorship, to the point it has a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_of_Twitter

Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#12

Post by atom-morgan »

RickS wrote: post #7

From the screenshot he himself provided [1], it looks like he was confronted about making people at YC feel unsafe, and responded by saying they "shouldn't be on the internet". Contrarian views are one thing. Addressing the people who fund your company like a belligerent troll is another. You're entitled to free speech, you're not entitled to a captive ear to hear it. [1] http://i.imgur.com/ReFx2Mr.png

"feel unsafe" has been more subjective and ridiculous than ever.

Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#13

Post by hyperpape »

gfosco wrote: post #11
hyperpape wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which users were banned for expression of opinions? I initially wrote "high profile", following your comment, but I don't actually care. High profile or not, that would make me worry. I know Milo was banned based on the accusations that he'd orchestrated harassment of Leslie Jones, but I haven't heard of anyone being banned simply for expressing a political position. As far as hashtag manipulation goes, I'm not sure…

Recently? I'll give you one: Clint Eastwood. Yes, they control hashtags. It is a censorship issue. They lie about what's trending, every, single, day. There's a global problem with Twitter censorship, to the point it has a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_of_Twitter

1) The Clint Eastwood case seems to be a fake account: http://nypost.com/2016/11/10/clint-eastwoods-twitter-account..., which doesn't entirely answer the question of why it was banned, but definitely muddies the waters. Do you have an example of someone not potentially impersonating a celebrity?

2) The Wikipedia page primarily concerns cases where Twitter is ordered to engage in censorship by other countries, not Twitter choosing to censor opinions on its own . I wish they would tell Ergodan where to stick it, but that's not the same as them posing a threat to your speech or mine (assuming you're not from Turkey).

Let me ask you an unambiguous question. I am a citizen of the United States of America, a country with a strong tradition of freedom of speech. Can you offer me any reason to fear that I am going to be censored by Twitter for expressing an opinion (liberal, conservative, fascist, even)? To be perfectly clear, and avoid confusing matters with the issue of harassment, say that I do not @-mention other users.

Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#14

Post by RickS »

atom-morgan wrote: post #12
RickS wrote: post #7

From the screenshot he himself provided [1], it looks like he was confronted about making people at YC feel unsafe, and responded by saying they "shouldn't be on the internet". Contrarian views are one thing. Addressing the people who fund your company like a belligerent troll is another. You're entitled to free speech, you're not entitled to a captive ear to hear it. [1] http://i.imgur.com/ReFx2Mr.png

"feel unsafe" has been more subjective and ridiculous than ever.

> "feel unsafe" has been more subjective and ridiculous than ever.

Sure, in the sense of the "liberals and safe spaces" macro topic, I'll concede that.

But YC is big on bringing in founders from other countries and giving them the tools to be successful in America.

In those scenarios YC is the foundation of their life in the country. Funding, documentation, network, etc. To have voices in the group that's supposed to help you start talking about "build the wall" and deporting people, especially in the context of the larger Trump political movement?

Yeah, if a company paid for me to come to a foreign land and do business, but members started talking about deporting all the guys like me and building a wall to keep them out, I would feel uncertain about my future, my business, and my residency. unsafe.

I think it's completely reasonable in this case.

Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#15

Post by minimaxir »

atom-morgan wrote: post #12
RickS wrote: post #7

From the screenshot he himself provided [1], it looks like he was confronted about making people at YC feel unsafe, and responded by saying they "shouldn't be on the internet". Contrarian views are one thing. Addressing the people who fund your company like a belligerent troll is another. You're entitled to free speech, you're not entitled to a captive ear to hear it. [1] http://i.imgur.com/ReFx2Mr.png

"feel unsafe" has been more subjective and ridiculous than ever.

For posterity, here is the beginning of the referenced Facebook thread (also linked to by the founder on Twitter): https://imgur.com/a/dWgdV

Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#16

Post by merb »

well even if his ban wasn't deserved... he made it deserving, just watching his twitter account (not facebook etc), looks like he is somebody that is not a great guy and can't stand such things. I mean he actually posted a picture of him self and his middlefinger pointing at ycombinator?! seriously he is a hater and not somebody that should be taken seriously.

insulting people or a group of people is not free speech anymore it's actually a crime.

Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#17

Post by rebootthesystem »

Freedom of speech does not mean one is free from the consequences of speech.

This is something a lot of young folks don't seem to understand. You can say anything you want. Go for it. And you will own the consequences of what you said, whatever they might be.

I offer this as a general comment. Not taking sides on the issue highlighted by the post. I simply think it is important to point out this reality in case it is lost in all the nonsense this election has managed to produce.

Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#19

Post by VaChildAbuse »

gfosco wrote: post #8
hyperpape wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...you mean Twitter?

Twitter has been extremely heavy on censorship this year. Dozens of high-profile users banned, hundreds 'shadow-banned', and unbelievable levels of hashtag manipulation. Twitter is not in favor of free speech, on top of being a terrible business.

And some incendiaries are left alone. Look at @rabite aka weev.

Re: Y Combinator blacklists founder of Gab.ai

#20

Post by mundo »

atom-morgan wrote: post #12
RickS wrote: post #7

From the screenshot he himself provided [1], it looks like he was confronted about making people at YC feel unsafe, and responded by saying they "shouldn't be on the internet". Contrarian views are one thing. Addressing the people who fund your company like a belligerent troll is another. You're entitled to free speech, you're not entitled to a captive ear to hear it. [1] http://i.imgur.com/ReFx2Mr.png

"feel unsafe" has been more subjective and ridiculous than ever.

"unsafe" has become a bit of a buzzword in the interminable red-vs-blue wars, but everything else about this would've played out the same way if she had said he was "inappropriate" or "unprofessional".

Looks to me like free speech is still free and trolling at work still has consequences and there's not much to see here unless you're personally involved with one of the companies.

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