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Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

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Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#371

This isn't opinion, it's provable fact. Twitter and Facebook were on a tear last year, actively shutting down the accounts of conservative pundits, under the guise of rules violations, while turning a blind eye to the same actions from pundits and personalities on the left.

Could you point out some of those examples?

My favorite is when Sabo the conservative street artist got banned from Facebook right after his "Fuck Zuck 2020" posters appeared all over L.A.

But hidden camera footage of a Twitter engineer openly admitting that they shadowbanned conservatives came out last year.

Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#372

Interesting that although Republicans are more likely to think that social media platforms are biased against them, they are less likely to think that such platforms should be subject to increased government regulation. As a cynic, I was expecting that Republicans might want more regulation here (in contravention of their general desire for less regulation) because it would be in their own interests. Note: I'm not sa…

> As a cynic, I was expecting that Republicans might want more regulation here (in contravention of their general desire for less regulation) because it would be in their own interests. That's the thing you don't understand about Republicans. They don't consider regulation on social media platforms as something in their interest. The model, "IF you don't like something, then advocate making a law against it" is not h…

> That's the thing you don't understand about Republicans. They don't consider regulation on social media platforms as something in their interest.

There is a liberty-leaning wing of the Republican party, but it's not currently the dominant force in the party.

There's also a liberty-leaning wing of the Democratic party.

> However, this is the model which liberals subscribe to.

Well, that's just definitionally false... I think you meant "democrats" or "leftists" or something.

But just like the Republican party, the Democratic party has both liberal and illiberal contingents (and the illiberal democrats tend to be further to the left than the liberal democrats). It's hard to say which wing is ascendant because the party is in flux.

US party lines aren't really good predictors of whether someone will support free speech; a slim majority of Republicans support banning flag burning, while a slim majority of Democrats support banning hate speech. Even "small government" Republicans are far more unified around tax policy and welfare while relatively split on questions of free expression.

In the 1990s, in the midst of the Culture War I, the thing Rs and Ds could really unite around was the illiberal policy of regulating speech in the music industry [1].

> Govt should only act against things which are objectively morally wrong

Ah yes, objective morality! Definitely a thing that exists and is never a source of contention! Now, if only everyone were as objective as me ;-)

--

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parents_Music_Resource_Center

Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#374
post #276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the shooting he incited in Maryland today should be enough of a reason to ban him.

It’s pretty heinous to use a fresh tragedy to try to smear your political opponents. I expect more from this community.

I think you ought to look up the definition of heinous. It applies to shootings, not to expressing disapproval of a public figure.

Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#375
post #276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the shooting he incited in Maryland today should be enough of a reason to ban him.

[flagged]

I'm not left wing. I just think Twitter's unwillingness to enforce their terms of service and delete the accounts of those who call for violence has consequences. It's a reasonable opinion.

Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#376
post #276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the shooting he incited in Maryland today should be enough of a reason to ban him.

The fake news seems to be jumping on Milo when the shooters motives are currently unknown.

It's not really fake news that Milo publicly calls for violence. Anyone who calls for violence should have their Twitter account deleted.

Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#377

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fake news seems to be jumping on Milo when the shooters motives are currently unknown.

For anyone still following this discussion: We now have evidence the shooting had nothing to do with Milos comments: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5898141/At-four-shot... Yet at least two people on this thread are acting like there is credible evidence his tweets caused the shooting. This is the danger of fake news!

At least one person on this thread is acting like publicly calling for violence is ok.

Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#378
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It may well be the case that one of the biggest practical problems with US politics is that large numbers of conservatives simply do not understand what censorship and robust debate look like, and think that deep disagreement from other people like themselves means their rights are being violated.

Sometimes there’s a bit more nuance, but it does tend to come down to this. Often flagging mechanics are pointed to as censorship, or anything which falls short of engaging with someone in debate is censorship. In most cases there’s a lack of understanding that just as they have a right to say something, other people have a right to respond with a flag, or not respond at all. Freedom of expression doesn’t imply an ob…

> "I’m not censoring an anti-vaxxer by flagging and moving on, I don’t owe them a debate"

Maybe not, but on some sites you are abusing your privileges as a moderator by behaving this way.

Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People have a right to be illiberal, liberal, and everything in between. People have a right to hew to the thinking of Mill and Popper, or ignore it. That’s also an aspect of freedom of thought, and consequent expression. You’re also free not to like it, and I’m free not to care.

Certainly. But free speech is an inherently liberal position by definition, construction and history. You're free to think that it's all bunk and tyranny of the majority is just fine. Many people do. I'd just like it to be clear to everyone that such an opinion is being against free speech. Because what greatly annoys me is when people try to claim that they advocate a "reasonable" version of free speech when they si…

My perception (and apparently that of those asked in the survey) is that conservative opinion gets a disproportionate amount of "I just flag it and move on" treatment.

I would wager a large sum of money that if left-wing opinion were treated in the same way there would be much whining about minority rights and the importance of an individual's free speech from the left.

Re: Most Americans Think Facebook and Twitter Censor Their Political Views

#380
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's also lots of evidence to the contrary: Twitter refuses to ban self-identified Nazis who incite violence but there are dozens of instances of people getting banned for saying mean insults to those same Nazis.

Making Nazis out to be just a more extreme form of the Republican viewpoint is hardly a good way to engage in discussion about a politically sensitive topic.

He did say 'self-identified Nazis'. He's talking about people who call themselves Nazis.
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